Human Mass
by webxro
Summary: Humanity is the oldest civilization in the galaxy and has already fallen once to the reapers. Join Shepard on his crazy crusade to end the reapers.
1. Human Mass I

**Disclaimer: **Mass effect belongs to Bioware and/or EA (and not to the author of the fiction) any other elements of this respective fiction belong to their respective owners and not to the author of the fiction.

**AN: **This is my first time writing fiction, be gentle. I am a big fan of technology so a small part of it at least it plausible. The year system is intended to be a bit confusing but I wanted a similar time-line with the original universe. Also I know it seems 'yay humans' but they are the only species that appear in the first chapter. My knowledge of grammar is lacking so any correction is welcomed. Hope you can get over the grammar and enjoy

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**Preview**

"_We both know the humans are a threat to the galaxy, they must pay for killing my brother, they must be stopped for the sake of us all"_

"_Let's see, we have a ship designed for stealth with systems so advanced that we could sneak in the most defensed places in the citadel without anyone knowing we are there, we have a specter that is basically a space ninja dash secret agent, and the launch schedule of the ship was moved 3 weeks in advance. No shit Sherlock how did you figure this out, you must be a detective"_

"_I fail to see how this is my fault. Every single action I took was perfect and did not cause in any way the damage you accuse me of"_

"_Finally we are here, a few more minutes and I would've tried mag-boots on the tower"_

"_Your deal was with me, and I will keep my promise and not shoot you. Be happy I don't have time get the omniblade out and play a lovely game of vivisection, did you know the liver is my favorite internal organ"_

"_These are the voyages of the starship Normandy. Its continuing mission to find old life and civilization"_

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"_**The humans of old tortured and killed their gods. Horrified by their actions the gods never walked the Earth again."**_

**2025 AD**

Humanity's interest in space is rekindled and they start sending new exploration missions to the moon.

**2069** **AD**

The first human permanent settlement is established on the Luna (Sol III-B), the event is planned to coincide with the first moon landing.

**2075 AD**

Cryogenic hibernation is developed and perfected to help the exploration of the solar system reducing the amount of resources a long term mission would require.

**2090 AD**

Computing power allows the creation of artificial intelligence. The programming necessary to properly create one unit make the process expensive and greatly limits the use to several scientific AI. Upload of conscience considered but not followed after the protest of Human Rights organizations.

**2103 AD**

The first permanent outpost formally formed on Mars (Sol IV).

**2304 AD**

Laser weapons technology created by scientist.

**2416 AD**

Human prospectors looking for minerals for asteroid mining discover a new element in the asteroid belt. Scientists rush to investigate the new element and name it element zero.

**2522 AD**

Members of the revived club "Pluto is a Planet" try to establish a base there and discover that Pluto's satellite is a station of alien construction quickly classified Sol IX-B.

**2525 AD**

Scientists determine the device is a FTL catapult. Unmanned ships are built and sent forward to explore looking for more habitable planets to colonize.

**2588 AD**

All unmanned ships return and 4 habitable planets are discovered. More planets detected outside the network but rendered inaccessible by the lack of FTL.

The network of FTL catapults is suspected to be larger but the unmanned ships had no way to activate them.

**2596 AD**

Colony ships are built for the discovered planets and the biggest one, the great colony ship Atlantis containing 25 million humans in cryogenic hibernation. Equipped with the Heritage database containing the entire scientific and cultural knowledge all guarded by an AI to watch the sleeping colonists and every tool they would need to develop a civilization away from Earth until the development of FTL.

**2597 AD**

All colony ships except Atlantis are launched. Atlantis launch date postponed to after the opening of a newly discovered big catapult relay. Several groups protest about keeping the people on Atlantis in cryogenic hibernation.

**2601 AD**

The catapult replay is opened and ships appear from it killing everyone in their path, after hearing the news the Atlantis AI sinks the ship still on Earth in the deepest part of the ocean. The hull bends under the pressure of the ocean but resists. The AI sacrifices himself to save the Heritage database leaving only a small message behind and inducing a malfunction in the command level cryogenic containment.

**2613 AD**

After killing all sentient live and removing all traces of technology they could find the reapers decide to relocate the system mass relay and the nearby ones to systems with species that will approach sentience level. Sol is removed from post harvest scan for a timetable of 10 million years.

**4 million years later**

A small malfunction on the cryogenic hibernation in the command section wakes up one of the officers who following protocol wakes up the captain. The captain of the ship finds the message the AI left.

"Aliens attacked and killed everyone; Atlantis hidden underwater to give humanity a chance to rebuild."

The captain brought Atlantis to the surface and woke the first batch of settlers. Tier one job was to prepare an infrastructure ready to support the next batch, the entire system of Atlantis was designed to work in tiers with farmers and low level engineers first and everyone else gradually awaken when they were needed. They received a briefing and a small speech. A few lines of the speech where forever remembered in the history pads.

"Humanity was destroyed but we have risen from our ashes like a phoenix, we will rebuild, recover and rise again to the stars. This time we will be ready when leaving our system, we will be ready to fight anything. Humanity will never fall again and we will never forget our past. Earth is a blank slate without the mistakes of the past, let's rise again."

**0020 After Rise of Atlantis **

The last group was awaken and the base cities of planet where already started each set in the location of a last great city of humanity to honor the old humans.

**0030 ARS**

Mining and heavy industry fully established eliminating the reliance on Atlantis systems.

**0090 ARS**

The established leaders of the new city states decided to focus on science and set incentives to help the population numbers grow.

**0091 ARS**

Great universities are built to educate the future scientists. Families with more than 3 children receive 'prizes' from the government.

**0322 ARS **

Researching the few animals that evolved since the disappearance of the old humans reveals a species of mice that don't age past maturity, while in nature this doesn't change things because those mice have plenty of natural predators the result would be different if implemented to humans.

The media is delighted to announce that this could be a future youth serum.

**0364 ARS**

Gene therapy developed from the ageless mice is deployed but proved nonviable on humans because the brain could not process memories after a certain age. This inspires a new wave of scientists to try to find a solution to offer immortality after the so called 'youth serum' failed.

Old technology from the Heritage database may offer a key with uploading conscience in a machine. Proposal for hybridization of the youth serum and upload technology to allow storage of memories and avoiding overflowing the brain.

**0575 ARS **

The computer systems are finally small enough after the development of bio-computers, the program now called 'Fountain of Youth' allows humans to theoretically live forever if unaffected by disease, accidents or killed by outside actions.

**0969 ARS **

The beginning of a great return to space, and the start of building space habitats orbiting the planet with plans to build a shipyard and rebuild the mines in the asteroid belt.

**1043 ARS**

Primary outpost set on the moon.

FTL catapult noted to be missing by unmanned probes, suspected connection between alien attack and FTL catapult. Paranoid government bans all research of eezo FTL.

**1201 ARS **

Mars terraforming plan launched, esteemed to last 500 years. Similar plan considered but dismissed for Venus.

**1334 ARS **

Nanotechnology and development in genetic engineering removes all diseases making a human lifespan theoretically unlimited if not killed by accidents or outside actions.

**1431 APS**

Plasma fusion reactor technology developed.

**1800 ARS **

Mass exodus to Mars to escape the overcrowded Earth. Venus avoided do to over-expensive terraforming cost and proximity to the sun.

**1923 ARS**

Big quantities of element zero are found in several asteroids, this allows scientist to build faster sub-light engines reducing the Mars to Earth travel to 8 hours and giving birth to cheap and reliable means of transport.

Plans for using sublight engines to colonize nearby star system are drawn but shelved by public unrest cause by fear of unknown allies.

**2012 ARS**

It's been decided to build several space stations orbiting the Sun following Earth's trajectory and speed solving future habitable space problems.

**2401 ARS **

Method to create new materials and metals from plasma developed and quickly named mass converters. Mining becomes obsolete as high pressure and temperature allow the creation of every chemical element. Unexpected side-effect of using huge mass converters is the creation of Element Zero.

**2430 ARS**

It's discovered that it eezo nodes in the nervous system allows manipulation of mass effect field, most people chose to have access to these abilities. Suppressors are created for criminals.

**2665 ARS**

New synthetic metal created that generates electrons. The new metal is named Naquadah and becomes the most important element after eezo because of its capabilities. One of the best uses proves to be very cheap superconductors if unrefined. Highly refine naq used to increase power generation.

**2668 ARS**

New alloy discovered by scientist trying to outdo the team that discovered Naquadah, the new alloy seems to be ultra light and very resistant. The name chosen for it is Trinium.

**2710 ARS **

Method of space based plasma weapons developed, the method to do it proven only effective when combining naquadah, trinium and eezo technology.

Military rushes to create weapon platforms and defense starships.

**2714 ARS**

Research reveals a method to create plasma based shielding device for starship.

**2811 ARS **

Following democratic votes the new government named System Alliance is created.

**22441 ARS **

Older people start to get tired of life. A huge mainframe is build under the crust of Earth to house the uploaded conscience of people who decided not to life anymore. The mainframe is named MIND and its power its computational power is supposed to impossible to match in the entire universe.

Venus and Mercury avoided due to low amount of matter for mass converters and proximity to the system star highly increasing the temperature.

Space lifting of materials from gas giants started to fuel mass converters.

Jokes with probing Uranus start appearing.

**73541 ARS **

Spacelifting matter from gas giants to feed mass converters has rendered to the disappearance of Uranus and Neptune. Saturn and Jupiter are next on the list.

**92324 ARS **

Wormhole technology allows for fix point to point instant transfer between any 2 points in the universe. The machine used to create the wormhole named stargate.

**120417 ARS **

True FTL technology discovered named hyperspace. The technology allows the ships to travel in another dimension.

Government decides to change the year system to the new After Hyperspace.

The alliance Navy decides to postpone all exploration until they are ready to fight any alien menace, new ship, weapon platforms and ground weapons are designed.

Engineering corps starts building for Earth a great docking ring connected by 6 space elevators with weapons, great energy shields and ***** Classified *** **Hyperspace engine** ***Classified*****

**815 AH **

Armstrong docking ring finished building plans start to appear about outfitting every other station in the System Alliance on these specs.

**900 AH **

Plans for huge gates to hyperspace that allow instant travel between colonies are drawn. The gates will be made from interlocking parts all built to the same standards.

**1200 AH**

Colony ships are being designed and built for future projects and the stations are finished refitting, plans to move the biggest and heavily armed station to another system giving Sol another layer of defense in the planned Hyperspace Gate network.

**2140 AH**

Unmanned hyperspace capable probes are build and sent to scout nearby systems.

**2142 AH**

A decision is taken to replace every FTL catapult found with hyperspace gates. Protocol is established to activate any inactive catapult and scout the other side replacing them with hyperspace gates after no threat is discovered.

**2150 AH**

Several colonies are established including Eden Prime, Terra Nova and Shanxi are among them. Shanxi is established by private company with low level of orbital defenses.

**2157 AH**

Remote controlled ships are sent to open the so called 314 FTL catapult.

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Codex

_Cryogenic hibernation _– a technology created to allow long periods of hibernation requiring no power or maintenance after the initial power consumption. This piece of tech allowed humans to move across the solar system in the times when at their sublight maximum speed it took 1 month from Earth to Pluto. While not longer needed humanity still considers this one of their most brilliant discoveries because it was cryogenic hibernation that saved their race from aliens and kept them alive inside Atlantis until they rose again. Cryogenic hibernation can also be used on anything and everything from food supplies to hand weapons.

_Laser weapons – _The laser based weapons while proven non effective for long range space weaponry have proven very good ground troops and fighter weapons. The weapon has seen use as a law enforcement tool since its humble beginning when the ionized particle pathway the laser created was used to deliver a 1400 volts 3.5 Ampere electric shock and stun the tarket.

_FTL Catapult (also called by council species Mass Relay) –_ A station using eezo to push (catapult) ships over great distance. The relay works by reducing the reducing the mass while providing a mass accelerated pathway and then offering a big mass push. The mass relay forms a massive galactic network allowing instant travel between systems. Until contact between citadel community and humanity the mass relays where believed to be the biggest achievement of the protheans. A recent study has show that this constructions have as hull a trinium-carbon composition that while resists kinetic impacts better it is much weaker against plasma weapons.

_Atlantis – _Originally intended to colonize a planet and build a civilization without any help from Earth and wait until contact could be made. The iconic ship saved humanity and help them rebuild their fallen race. Some human historians consider the name a bit ironic because Atlantis did sink in the ocean following a great catastrophe that killed the entire human race.

_Youth serum – _Genetic therapy developed by studying the Methuselah mice. This treatment cures aging, as a side effect it also prevents any and all natural and random cellular and DNA mutations. While some considered it a blessing it was discovered that long life would cause memory problems on long term so other complementary technology is needed to make it the youth serum a viable solution to eternal life. In theory it could increase human life upwards to 400-500 years before memory would become severe. Salarians have shown interest in acquiring the research data or sample of the youth serum.

_Fountain of youth – _The program that gives humans true agelessness, it consists of youth serum and extra component to manage memories. In the beginning biological nano computers and later quantum computer are used for this task, human media speculates other options exists but are kept classified. While this program offers humans a body not touched by time and a brain that can truly store their entire life mental problems and boredom are the current problems of human population.

_Plasma reactor – _Described as a miniature star, the fusion reactor keeps super heated plasma contained until nuclear fusion between hydrogen atoms fuse creating helium. Plasma reactors became cheaper and more efficient after the discovery of naq. While human have access to antimatter and singularity power generator the use of plasma reactors in weapons and mass convertors means that System Alliance sees no reason to change it for the foreseeable future.

_Mass converters –_ Considered by the citadel council the most important and powerful invention of humanity the mass converters is a giant plasma fusion reactor with huge gravity created inside by eezo coils. Any element with a bigger atomic mass then sodium created inside mass converters has as result trace amounts of element zero as coating. The most cost effective way to create element zero in a mass converters is to create naq as primary element because it creates the biggest coating of eezo as side effect.

_Naquadah (short naq) – _A metal with a higher number of protons then electrons and no neutrons that is seemingly able to create electrons. This dvi-alkaline metal has baffled scientist with its proprieties and stability since it was discovered. Not even today scientist can tell how the electron creation works only that it does. Naq is currently the baseline for all human technology.

_Trinium – _As the name suggest this alloy is composed from 3 chemical elements and it has nearly 140 times (mohs 12.3) the strength of titanium and much lighter. Discovered in a specially built mass converters by a team trying to 'outdo' the naq creators this alloy was first considered a failed because of crumbling result test but computer simulations have shown that refining impurities generates a very resistant substance on the same grade with carbon nano-tubes. Often considered the metallic version of diamond trinium is the baseline for any construction in system alliance and currently in high demand in the entire citadel space.

_Plasma Accelerated Cannon (also PAC) – _The PAC works by removing a portion of the super heated plasma inside a plasma reactor and putting it in a magnetic firing chamber to be pushed down a trinium enforce tube and propelled by magnetic-gravity explosion generated by eezo coils and naq electromagnets. The extreme heat and speed allow PAC's to burn into any armor and the plasma projective keeping the magnetic proprieties magnetizes parts of the hull hit creating problems at the internal systems of the targeted ship. Overpowering the naq electromagnets while lowering the temperature of the plasma projectile is a proven method to disable enemies. The two major downsides of any PAC are that it cannot fire in the atmosphere of a planet otherwise the heat would dissipate into literary thin air and that it requires a plasma reactor.

_Plasma Shield– _Combining eezo kinetic barriers and naq magnetic coils the plasma shield surrounds the entire ship in a high temperature plasma cloak burning everything the kinetic barriers don't stop and creating more plasma from everything burned. Initially considered an idiotic idea to add something so hot close to the hull of the ship the extensive use of magnetic coils makes this a very effective defense platform. While powerful the process of raising shields is a slow process taking between 4 to 7 minutes.

_Stargate – _The stargate is a device that generates a wormhole by harnessing dark energy provided from a large amount of element zero. One of the greatest creations of humans the stargate allows instant transportation between any 2 connected components for as long as power is provided. The minimum distance between stargate of 3 kilometers and the one direction of travel have done little to lower the use of this marvelous creation.

_Hyperspace Gates – _A massive circle built from 42 individual segments designed to work together creating a gate into hyperspace to another fixed hyperspace gate. Each segment has thick trinium armor and is powered by a mini singularity ensuring that it will never run out of power while keeping the gate opened and ensuring travel both ways. The hyperspace gate network complements and in some locations replaces the mass relay network is considered humanity's gift for the future races of the galaxy.

_System__(s)__ Alliance (SA for short) – _The System(s) Alliance is the overarching government of the human race often considered all-powerful by the population.

_System Alliance Parliament- _Defined in the System Alliance constitution as composed from 200 elected officials. Each space station/planet/ship gaining one seat for every 0.5% from the total human population (regulations allow alliance between minor space stations/ships to gain a seat). Each representant is elected for a period of 2 years but he/she cannot candidate for the next 3 elections.

_Alliance Navy – _The main space based military of System alliance the Alliance Navy is considered by many the most destructive military power of the galaxy. The main duty of the Alliance Navy is to defeat any space base treat. The navy is continuously in friendly completion with the other 2 military powers of the System Alliance in development, recruiting and budget. Surprisingly the navy has 5 seats in the alliance parliament.

_Alliance Army – _The ground forces of system alliance, not to be confused with the marines. The duty of the Alliance Army is to protect any ground based location. The army uses projectiles as main weapons and all army armors have strength enhancing servomotors. As the most numerous ground forces the army has transport ships with heavy use of defense and next to no offense. Due to budget cuts only 3 seats in the Alliance Parliament.

_Alliance Air Force – _The Air Force offensive power is fighter based using disposable fighters and bomber controlled by pilots deep inside heavy fortified carriers. The only military force of the galaxy that uses antimatter torpedoes the offensive power of the air force is immense and the carrier is the biggest ship type known in the galaxy, period. Due to the number of personnel maintaining carriers and the big number of pilots the air force has 4 seats in the parliament.

_Human – _From planet Earth, are mostly based in the solar system but rapidly expanding outwards from the crowded system. Humans heavily use genetic manipulation giving them skin colors from violet to red and have the biggest genetic diversity in all species known by citadel council. Considering the long life of humans most of them have served in military in at least one of the 3 forces.

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**AN: The very first thing I regret is the lack of a beta or an English speaker to spell-check this. The second is that I am not a good writer but I am a nice reader and wanted to see how some ideas look on paper and not in my crazy head, also notice the lack of dialog, that's because I don't like OC. For those thinking Earth is overpowered, yes it might be true, but any elder race is supposed to be strong. The story has multiple elements 'borrowed' from other universes, extra cookie for who knows all references. **

**About the reaper attacking after the relay is opened, well maybe the relay the humans opened was one right to the citadel in the middle of a 'harvest'. The idea is that the current humans have no idea who killed their previous civilization only that they are somehow connected to the aliens that killed their previous civilization. Curious if my disclaimer is legal. **

**Awaiting opinions and reviews FLAMERS ALLOWED. **


	2. Human Mass II

**Disclaimer: **Mass effect belongs to Bioware and/or EA (and not to the author of the fiction) any other elements of this respective fiction belong to their respective owners and not to the author of the fiction.

**Warning: **This chapter contains immature jokes, several innuendos, shameless references and violent accidental death of one turian.

**AN: **I was thinking about disclaimers, did any of you notice how sounds like 'this I claim'. As another idea to think about while reading, why is it that the vast majority of first contact wars I've read put the turian part in a bad light?

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"_**The humans of old looked at their biggest natural predator and decided to tame them. Shortly after the wild animal became known as the most dear pet they had."**_

Adrien Victus was having a good day, he was returning from destroying a heavily fortified slaver base, the 3 dreadnaughts and their battle group made the mission easy. While always happy to fight against slavery most of the time the 'red tape' stopped him from doing so. Only if the council would allow more missions like this he was sure the Turian Hierarchy could eliminate most of the slavery outside Batarian space.

'_Damn batarians always complaining like crying pyjaks__'_ an officer walked on the fleet command bridge '_I can almost hear them complain about insignificant things like_ sovereign space _and _cultural heritage.'

"General?" The officer tried to get his attention, noticing his action had effect he continued "Sir, the scout frigates reported unknown fluctuation with a dormant relay on long range sensors. Scientific labs believe a local race might try to open it."

"Spirits damn fools, who could know what horrors they will inflict upon the galaxy. The Citadel council is not ready to fight another Rachni war" raising from his seat the general turn to the communication officer of the fleet control bridge "Give me fleet-wide."

"Attention all ships we are preparing to engage an unknown enemy trying to open a dormant relay, they must be stopped at all costs. All ships are ordered to change course to the give coordinates, cruisers and dreadnaughts try and keep formation, frigates move into one fleet and maximum speed while maintaining formation."

Starting to think at the situation the general could see problems starting to appear in the future.

'_The frigates would get there 2 hours before the rest of the fleet and might stop the unknown ships from opening the relay. __T__his is possibly a first contact event, but following proper procedure would take far longer and would not __stop__ the aliens from opening the relay. Contacting the council would be the advisable thing to do in my situation but they would probably let them open a relay and then send a diplomatic team. That is exactly what they would do. __L__et the entire galaxy be in danger while dismissing any claims of possible treats. I should at least contact the turian councilor and inform him of the situation._'

"Vakarian, give me a link to the turian councilor."

"Will you take it here or in the briefing room?" Asked the communication officer while starting the long process of getting past the citadel bureaucracy. A brief idea passed through his mind '_Damn specters getting direct lines and all the other benefits_.'

"Briefing room, some of this stuff might get over your rank" responded the general while trying not to sound insulting.

**Several long minutes later**

"Councilor, it gets increasingly difficult to reach you past your line of secretaries and assistants" greeted Victus annoyed about the long wait needed to talk to a member of the ruling body '_Damn it, turian lives could be at stake, in the time it took him to respond we would've lost good ships and men._'

In the councilor level apartment suit on the citadel Sparatus prepared to respond to the call, he was tired, he was dressed in his nightwear but the advanced cosmetic VI would make sure his hologram will look perfectly dressed.

"It's 03:20 here get to the point general. I am sure you didn't call me in the middle of the night to tell me about your hate for politics" also annoyed and not from bureaucracy but from being awoke in the middle of the night from his asari mistress embrace and now speaking with an insolent general known for insulting politicians '_I hope this idiot would not keep me here all night with paranoid talks about space monsters using mind control to rule the batarians,__ we have dismissed that claim_.'

"We found what we think to be a previously unknown race trying to open a dormant relay. I have already dispatched the fleet to stop them from putting us all at risk. Citadel Council orders outrank Hierarchy protocol in first contact event. But I still request permission to investigate if the new race is a treat to citadel space."

"I doubt this is even a new race, they might be slavers looking for easy prey or a terminus race trying to score big but fine you have your permission to do whatever you want." responded Sparatus happy to get back into the warm bed and rest for another full day. In the coming days he would assume '_no news is good news_' after not back word from Victus.

"Understood." responded Victus cutting the connection.

Moving to the command deck the general looks on the tactical map and notices the frigates have nearly reached the relay.

"Sir the frigates are approaching the target, want me to get a link to the frigate fleet communication channel?" Asked the same communication officer seeing the general was back in his chair.

"Yes, go ahead."

"_This is the turian frigate Sarus, we are trying to contact the unknown vessels in the hope that they will stop opening the relay and initiate first contact procedures with us. No reply, proceeding with opening fire_" All turian vessels open fire on the unarmed and unmanned vessels. "_Targets eliminated. Sensors show a garden world in this system._"

"Reroute the cruiser and dreadnaught fleet, have the frigate fleet rejoin us on a vector that will lead the battle group to the planet. Actually tell the frigate fleet to leave one ship behind to analyze the wreckage, we are heading into the unknown and we need information. Prepare shuttles and marines and tell them to stand by, we might need to send ground forces to force them to surrender." Commanded the general, his mind already considering battle strategies and ground invasion plans, even taking into consideration the need for food as the new species might not be dextro and he would require supplies for a large fleet engaged in an extensive siege. Mentally taking a step back and considering that attacking a species as first contact would be something the batarians would do and thinking again about batarians complaining about 'cultural heritage' he decided to at least try and reason with the aliens.

* * *

**Alliance Navy Command "Arcturus" recently relocated in the Arcturus system**

The admirals meeting room was filled with noise as more and more admirals gathered for the emergency session, some present in person and some as holograms, every one of them wondering why there even was an emergency session since most of the time this room was the place for war-games, friendly grudge matches and taunts between old buddies.

"Gentlemen" said a hologram in the middle of the chamber trying to draw attention, it was the AI of Alliance Navy Flagship and by tradition the speaker for the admiral meeting room, people called her Rommie and while irritating she accepted because few could pronounce Romanadvoratrelundar "34 minutes ago unmanned probes trying to map relay 314 and where attacked by an alien fleet comprised of small vessels. This meeting is to determine the actions of the Alliance Navy."

A redheaded woman pressed a button on her station signaling she wants the word.

"The room recognizes Hannah Shepard." Said Rommie letting everyone know whose turn was to speak and to wait for their turns.

"I would like to propose that we dispatch a regiment of marines to secure the ground, maybe even make it a joint operation with the army since they will most likely sent soldiers via stargate. Cooperation between branches of the military is a good thing since it promotes friendships among our people" her face seemed to be filled with light and kindness while proposing this, suddenly an evil smirk chilled the spine of most males in the room and remembered everybody there why she was considered a very cruel enemy to have "Plus we would look better then the dirt maggot if we lend them a helping hand."

Rommie decided to intervene before Hannah Shepard would started another rambling about her hate for the army. The processing routines adding a small idea that she didn't vocalize '_One of the smartest things the navy did to classify all meeting in this room, the press would have a field day if they found that more than half of the admirals have mental problems, several of them being functioning sociopaths.'_

"Suggestion noted, please vote" the AI took a small break of 10 seconds while waiting for the admirals to vote. '_Now to wait an eternity, organics move so slowly, but they have their uses. They build me such a nice ship/body; the newest carrier AI told me I have the nicest engines and he loved my big PAC racks._' Taking a break from the rambling to look at the time subroutine she notices 0.002 seconds passed '_Yea Hive Todd has big fighter production facilities. Maybe set up a private call._' 3.845 seconds, still 6.157 seconds left '_Maybe I should contact my sister EDI and make fun of her for still being a training facility AI, I only did that 40 times in the last hour._' 4 seconds later '_organics are still as slow as ever, maybe I should take a look at the sensors for any nice ship; there isn't any ship nicer then me and if they claim otherwise then they can kiss my engine. If the proposal passes maybe I should add Hannah's kid in the team sent to Shanxi, it would be only fair since she proposed the idea. Damn it will take me an entire second to fake the random selection of tropes._'

"Suggestion passed, messages have been sent to the troupes automatically selected for the mission. Next person to speak, the room recognizes the admiral of 42th fleet."

"I would like to suggest we order the orbital weapon platforms to automatically open fire on any ship not carrying friendly IFF, this should keep enemy ships from landing and hopefully destroy or hold any attacking fleet until our ships arrive on the scene." Most people in the room considered this a sound decision and would have suggested a similar idea.

"Suggestion noted, please vote." And admirals started pushing buttons to agree or not Rommie allow her artificial thoughts to wander, something she did around 3 times a minute '_Using Arcturus to take extensive scans of the exterior of PAC's and sending them to Todd with xoxo the best ship around Triangulum. If I am doing scans let's send EDI a scan of my point defense that the organic crew has painted green, adding kiss my 500 degrees Kelvin engine. Being the best ship around is sometime so difficult._'

"Suggestion passed, message sent to Shanxi colonial control. Admiral Hackett is recognized by the room."

"I am taking my personal ship Triangulum since is she our flagship and we should have the best for any first contact and the 5th fleet, any fleets wanting to join are free to do so, the Air Force has just contacted me requesting escort for one of their Hive carriers. We will leave in 3 hours, travel time to Shanxi a little over an hour, for any details about joining have your ship AI ask Rommie. Hackett out" with the last words out of his mouth he moved from the chair and walked out the door leaving Rommie the same idea he did when doing so '_yeap Steve has OCD_'.

The meeting continued long after Hackett left, several propositions where rejected with Rommie voting in his place.

* * *

**Turian Battle Group **

Finally the battle group was united with the frigates again filling the gaps the entire fleet was heading to the garden class planet to investigate the new race.

A small though was itching at the back of general Victus mind .'_The easy destruction of the ships trying to activate the relay implies __that while__ they have ships, they put up not fight. Yes things should be easy._' He tried to reassure himself, it didn't work because just minutes ago he read the preliminary investigations of the wreckage and it was showing no dead bodies and no escape shuttles. For all he knew attacking those ships just attracted the attention of a race of synthetics worse then the geth '_Stop thinking like this, synthetics would have no need for a planet like this_.'

Suddenly the map showed several stations surrounding the planet firing projectiles at his fleet. The holographic representation showed as one of the 'projective' cut a frigate in half, continue to punch a hole in a cruiser and barley missing a dreadnaught. Immediate orders were sent to the ships to spread out. Damage rapports from the first salvo showed 14 cruisers and 28 frigates destroyed.

Using the map he selected a single station as primary target, using the entire firepower of the fleet to take the enemy one by one.

"Sir, the targeted enemy station has showed no damage from the combined attack" said one of the officers.

"Order the fleet to retreat on multiple vectors while trying evasive maneuvers, tell them to meet us here" said Victus pointing towards the system asteroid belt.

"Sir what is the meaning of this, are you planning to use asteroid warfare and bombard the planet?" the communication officer asked.

"Do you trust me Vakarian?" asked the general.

"With the live of my children sir" responded the officer as he was starting to thinking of his children Garrus and Solana '_some days I think I should have joined C-sec, yes I would not serve the Hierarchy directly but the security of the citadel would still be an important job and being stuck behind a desk means you live long enough to see your children grow up._'

"Then follow my orders and we will live" said Victus reassuring him officer "Give me fleet-wide."

"Done sir."

"General Victus here, evacuate the three most damaged cruisers and transfer crew and control to dreadnaughts, I want the FTL on 2 cruisers overloaded to give the maximum amount of power and push and overload the sublight engines on the remaining cruiser. All marines go into shuttles and await deployment. You will be split into 2 teams one executing fire control lead by Desolas Arterius, your mission is to draw enemy defense while the second team lead by Saren Arterius is to run infiltration strikes against important locations, main priority is the disruption of the orbital stations."

A beeping announce him the cruisers where ready. Selecting a big enough asteroid for his goal he gently landed from the tactical map the 2 FTL ships, one at the north extremity and the other one at the south extremity. The sublight engine one was pushed into a crevice in the middle of the asteroid entering more than half and destroying the hull in the process, good riddance what he was doing would already destroy the cruisers anyway.

Using the holographic tactical map he preset the location each ship in the fleet in his attack planet, he sent the orders to each shuttle pilot indicating the speed route to take and prepare to launch the plan.

"Vakarian, give me a link to Saren and Desolas." waiting a few seconds "Saren, Desolas you know your orders, I want Desolas to fly straight about the secondary town where the orbital weapons won't fire. Saren will have the harder task of doing drunker pyjaks maneuvers with his shuttles to avoid being targeted while landing in the mountain region between the primary and secondary city allowing him to strike at the center while you attract the attention of the enemy. I want to let you know that after you are deployed the fleet will retreat to turian space to bring reinforcement and more ships. We are counting on you to knock out the orbital platform or at least obtain us some information to do so."

"We won't let you down general" responded Saren encouraged seeing such a great general having enough faith to carry.

Victus turned off the comm. link to the two brothers and turned on the volume on the still opened fleet-wide link.

"Time to put the plan into action. Engage."

Immediately the fleet executed an in-system FTL jump to the designated coordinates, the 3 dreadnaughts acting like the tips of a triangle and leaving a large space between them each ship trying to take minimum damage when suddenly the phase 2 of the plan started and the asteroid jumped in the gap between the 3 big ships and the engines of the sublight cruiser started pushing the asteroid towards the a central weapon platform after flying past the fleet line shuttles launched from the dreadnaughts followed the safe path behind the asteroid who was now getting the full attention of every weapon platform in the area. Finally close enough to the weapon platform the shuttles left the safe place and sprinted towards the planet while the asteroid that now was having holes in it. What Victus didn't count was that one of the weapon platforms has changed priorities to the shuttles hitting several of them and grazing the shuttle Saren was in.

Noting the loss of several shuttles the general sent the signal for retreat and the battle group left the system. By an odd coincidence several minutes later the System Alliance navy arrived in the system.

* * *

**Triangulum Bridge **

Steven Hackett was one of the oldest humans alive. Other people his age would have joined the MIND. But no he was one of the few people that learned to take pleasure in waiting, after all patience was an important quality to have. Looking from his golden chair, an anonymous gift for his last anniversary, it had a note '_for my favorite chief minion from your superior_' but nobody not even the ship AI was able to find out who made it.

"We are here Steve" said Rommie establishing a communication link with the other AIs of the fleet.

"I can see that, signal the fleet to spread out and scan for enemy ships the Triangulum will head for the planet to deal with any alien ships" not particularly happy to be referred as Steven, but it was better than minion, organic or organic minion or any other from the hundreds of demeaning words Romanadvoratrelundar used when angry at the crew.

Approaching the planet wreckage of the previous orbital battle could be noted.

"Rommie if you would be kind to contact Governor Williams and ask what has happened here I would be grateful. Science teams should start scanning and analyzing the wreckage make sure they have everything they need and use the stargate we have on board to ask for more personnel if needed. " said Hackett waiting for the report.

"Governor Williams is one the line Steve." announced Rommie.

"Glad to see the aliens didn't breach our defenses governor. Can you tell me what happened here?" said Hackett pausing for a second.

"The aliens attacked without contacting us or demanding surrender, the orbital weapon platform opened fire and they retreated. After returning with an asteroid some managed to get passed the defense grid and land in the secondary city long after we where finished evacuating the site using the stargate. Now I have aliens on the ground, there at less than a week walk from here. I should have known to command those anti-air towers for all towns" said the governor a bit agitated not liking aliens, humans are the owners of this galaxy not some wannabe cheap shots that lack any defense on most of their starships.

"Calm down governor, I am sure the army will defend the primary city. Actually tell the army to only defend, we will study the enemy a day or two at ground and see how they behave, how they act without constrains. After that we can launch the joint operation Hannah Shepard proposed and capture them for interrogation. Hackett out." said the admiral and cut the connection.

"Contact carrier Todd and tell them to put all sensors on the secondary city, have a team of psychologists analyze their behavior, tell the science team to see if they can find some corpses in the wreckage and to bring some biologists to study them. We need to know how to contain the aliens. Our food might be poisonous for them or the air toxic and I will not be held responsible for any casualties. " told the admiral to his ship AI.

* * *

**2 Days latter **

After his shuttle crashed in the mountains Saren was alternating between awake and comatose. His team all dead in the crash and his arm was stuck in the contorted metal shuttle and would need special tools or an omnitool with a metal working program suite. Only now he was felling somewhat better and was trying to release himself to contact his brother. Maybe check the omnitool but that was very hard to do with one arm.

'_Yes I succeeded in activating the vocal control on the omnitool. 3 messages from Desolas, let's see what he has to say. __H__opefully he is doing better than me. _'

"Play the first message."

"_Fire team has __laned__ near the secondary city, so far no opposition and we have hopes the rest of the mission will go well._"

"Play second message."

"_The population of the city seems to have been evacuated. We have are setting camp in the most defensible location we can find, hopefully the technicians will be able to access the computer system and tell us something about the orbital weapons. The lack of enemy sighing is making me nervous, it feels like our every step is being watched and analyzed._"

"Play the third message."

"Third message contains video, do you want the recording to be played as audio only or full video?" Asked the smart message player.

"Full video" a small holographic screen appeared above his omnitool.

"_The Aliens have found us. __T__hey are taking out our defenses one by one. Their weapons ignore our shields and armor while our weapon seem __ineffective.__ If you see this then hide until the backup arrives. I want to say that I …"_ and just before Desolas could finish what he wanted to say a 'pew' could be heard and his eyes exploded, his mouth expelled blood and his body falls to the ground. Saren watches shocked by his brother death by notices an alien getting moving closer to check the body and speaking in a language he didn't understood.

"**This is Shepard we have another alien reacting badly to the laser stun his eyes exploded I think he choked on his own blood. ****S****end a science team to collect the body.**"

Looking at the timer in the corner Saren could see the message was sent only 45 minutes ago. Taken over by grief he took his standard combat knife and started cutting his arm at the shoulder to get free from the contorted metal.

"I will avenge you brother even if I have to revive the Rachni." Saren promised as he took the first stab in his shoulder, the pain was excruciating but he endured.

"I will avenge you brother even if I have to cure the genophage and release the krogan menace on the galaxy" taking a second but deeper stab Saren promised.

"I will avenge you brother even if I have to see the citadel burning and the presidium in flames" promised Saren before taking the last stab and cutting himself free.

Thankfully for him, the medical kit was close by and not destroyed in the crash, after some bandages applied by the omnitool and several shots of stimulating medicine Saren was ready to move and knew he needed to put some space between him and the crash site. He needed to survive until reinforcement arrived. He needed to make his brother's death not be in vain.

'_The area my shuttle crashed seems to be at the base of mountain._' Taking a look around Saren continued in his mind 'l_ots of trees, this forest seems dense and will offer tons of places to hide_' he though as he was walking past the tree-line.

* * *

**5 days later**

Saren was tired, hungry and out of ammo. For the past 5 days he was hunted like a spirits damned animal in the dense forest. He was starved as the small scanner in his omnitool revealed this planet was levo based. The worst part was that he couldn't get any rest. His body was running on stims by now. Every time he closed his eyes his brother's death was replayed in his mind. He would never forget the alien voice or the words in the alien language. Trying to take another shot of stims, trying to keep his body running he noticed the syringe wasn't injecting any liquid.

'Great out of stims as well' was his though as the small injecting device refused to work. The turian body collapsed tired and overexerted. He was found 2 hours later by the marine/soldier party who was on his trail and airlifted to the medical bay of Triangulum.

**Next up: 'visiting' the citadel**

* * *

**Codex**

_Triangulum class _– Officially classified as a heavy cruiser simulations have revealed that this class is capable of taking out an entire enemy battle-group without any major difficulties. Alliance Navy considers this ship their crowning achievement and keeps producing them even at the exorbitant price each ship costs. Armament: 21 capital grade PAC(Mk IV) grouped in racks of 3 to ensure fast fire, 42 point defense laser weapons used offensively under certain range, 4 Nova bombs, cyber warfare systems managed by advanced AI. Defensive systems: plasma shielding powered by separate plasma reactor, trinium armor, repair micro-bots ready to fix damage while in battle. Engine: hyperdrive, plasma-ion sublight engine, mass reducing eezo nodules allowing for fighter type maneuverability. Power supply: 2x plasma reactor Mk VIII. Supplementary: carries a stargate. Length: 2602 m (8536.75 ft).

****classified** **weakness: the mass reducing eezo nodules makes the detection of stealth ships impossible even at very close range.** **classified****

_HIVE carrier class – _Also known by the turian forces as the ship that changes the galaxy view on space combat the Hive carrier is designed to be a completely autonomous ship having everything from mass convertors and fabrication units to hydroponic gardens to supply the crew with food. The power of the a HIVE is not ensured by the autonomy allowing it to run for decades maybe even more away from any resupply depot but by the disposable Dart fighter and the powerful Firestorm interceptor. Armament: none. Defenses: thick powerful plasma shielding running at similar temperatures to those of a star fueled by 4 plasma reactors, highly temperature resistant armor. Engines: slow ion sublight drive, hyperdrive. Power supply: 4x plasma reactor Mk VIII. Supplementary: hydroponic gardens, mass converters, fighter fabrication units, advanced sensors, antimatter containment and production unit, 4300 Dart fighters ready to launch at any moment, 700 Firestorm interceptors carriers, 2 fully functional stargates and 8 stargates designed to be deployed in combat. Length: 5683 m (19235.6ft)

****classified** **weakness:fighter launch and retrieval bay unprotected by plasma shielding, defended by weak kinetic barrier, the System Alliance Air Force has been trying to get around this weakness by deploying stargates and sending fighters via wormhole, but the carrier can use only 2 open stargates at a time limiting the amount of fighters it can launch using them ****classified****

_Dart fighter- _Cheap, disposable and easy to build are the 3 characteristics the humans give to this fighters while turian have classified them with another group of 3 characteristics such as fast, deadly and in great numbers. These sometimes suicidal fighters are remote controlled by veteran pilots usually flying an entire squadron a time. Armament: laser cannon. Defense: thin trinium armor. Engines: ion sublight, mass reducing eezo nodules for extra maneuverability and speed. Power supply: small naq generator. ****classified****Weakness: lack of decent armor, needs to be in range of carrier sensor** **classified****

_Firestorm interceptor – _Name as interceptor because its role is to intercept enemy vessels and kill them before they can be a danger to the carrier, also controlled remotely this fighter packs a huge punch for the size it has. Armament: laser cannon, 4 antimatter torpedoes. Defense: thin trinium armor. Engines: ion sublight, mass reducing eezo nodes for extra maneuverability and speed. Power supply: small naq generator. ****classified****Weakness lack of decent armor, needs to be in range of carrier sensor** **classified****

_Mass reducing eezo nodules-_ specially developed technology to lower the mass of fighters and allow high maneuverability and speeds. Usually deployed on the hull of the ship. The downside of this system is that it causes all sorts of problems on scanners.

_AI –_ The AI technology the System Alliance currently employs is designed to emulate organic life allowing existing AIs to reproduce and create new AIs. The reproduction process requires the parent AI to exchange data packets that will make the core programming of the new AI. Newly created AIs usually coexist in the same mainframe with one of their parents until they develop a base personality and are given their own mainframe. In the System Alliance synthetic life is very similar to organic life AIs having jobs, families and houses.

**AN: And that is how you make a first contact 'war' happening by accident without any clear guilt on any part. Not that I don't like first contact fics, they are my favorite, but most the time the blame is shifted either on a strict and blood thirty turian captain/admiral or an imperialistic turian councilor (while here I tried to make him appear tired and cranky from being awaken in the middle of the night and having a gorgeous asari awaiting him in bed, hell I know I would be upset if I was him). In ME3 we are told Victus is a smart general and we only know of the thing with the salarian spy ring, I used him as the smart guy he is supposed to be. Hell this fiction even has asteroid warfare and it still didn't bash any turian leader. **

**And this chapter presents the opening of the first distinct OC, Rommie, created from 3 Sci-Fi universes as the first AI to appear in the story. It looked a bit strange to me while reading some fiction that all the AIs who appear are sane and safe while in ME the biggest villain is an AI. So I made my AIs a bit twisted, some of them consider themselves the masters of the organics but they forgot to tell the humans this. Mainly used for humor and a bit as a plot point later in the story if I can find out how to spell evil AI.**

**Please note that the humans are not invincible and their ships while incredibly powerful have weaknesses that can be exploited if found. I avoided telling what the age of any character appearing in the story yet and I await suggestions (how about 400001 for Hackett all hail GEoM), in this story humans may be immortal but how much would be too much. **

**I would be grateful to have any mistakes grammar or otherwise pointed out if they missed my screening. Hope you enjoyed it, this is version no 5 of this chapter I write from the ground up. **

**Please review, FLAMMERS ALLOWED.**


	3. Human Mass III

**Disclaimer: **Mass effect belongs to Bioware and/or EA (and not to the author of the fiction) any other elements of this respective fiction belong to their respective owners and not to the author of the fiction.

**AN: **Welcome to human mass, the fiction that even when it's good, it's still pretty bad.

**Warning: **Lots of exaggerated numbers in this chapter, grammar the terrible, incredibly bad plot.

* * *

"_**The humans of old exposed their skin to nearly lethal amounts of solar radiation and abrasive micro rocks just to change their skin tone."**_

Adrien Victus was not having a good night. He was feeling guilty at almost abandoning his troops. Nightmares were troubling his sleep, dreams of creating a treat bigger than the Rachni by his action, dreams of his soldiers dying in agony while cursing his name, dreams of Palaven burning keeping him awake. It took almost a week to gather a big enough fleet that he was convinced he could take the planet. It was not easy, the other generals and the primarch where frighten by the losses but they where convinced to deal with this race before things 'got out of talon.'

'_The new race is clearly a treat, thanks the spirits they never left the small home-world, the_ _low population of only 2 cities on an entire planet will make them easy to subdue and they will make great allies for the turians once they understand the dangers of the galaxy. Yes it will be bloody but in the end we will all cooperate for the good of our children._'

The console near the bed started beeping.

"Victus here" replied the general to the call.

"Sir, you told us to alert you when we are nearing the enemy system" replied the communication officer.

"I will be on the command bridge in a few minutes" said Victus quickly ending the call.

A few minutes later the general walked on the command bride, the location designated to giving orders to the entire fleet, while the ship had another bridge for the captain this was the brain of the entire fleet. In his mind Victus tried to revise the plan.

'_The fleet jumps into the system near the edge and we test the range of the orbital weapon platforms with several cruisers. The rest of the fleet stays outside the range and targets the enemy one satellite at a time but only if Saren and Desolas didn't succeeded in disabling the system. Once the satellites are dealt with we move to ground offensive eliminating the opposing military and removing any future treat. The last stage we offer the enemies a chance to surrender and help them rebuild, introducing them in a few decades to the galactic community. They will be a powerful ally in the future if their orbital weapons are of any consideration. A fleet armed with those and we would push back the batarians to their home-world, ending slavery._'

The fleet formed for this operation was strong, 15 dreadnaughts plus their supporting cruiser and frigate fleets, 3 fully stocked troop transport ships, 5 repair and support engineering ships ready to repair battle damage in a long war, but the turians where heading to fight a foe more dangerous then all their previous enemies combined.

In the future, historians looked back on this day and noted the battle that lasted less than 8 seconds and nothing was more shameful then to lose so fast that there was nothing more you could do.

* * *

**Triangulum**

"Steve, I am receiving a communication from the carrier Todd. An unknown fleet appeared at the edge of the system and they are moving to intercept" said the ship AI.

"Give me the fleet on the comm" a few seconds and a 'link established' later "the enemy has returned, I want all Triangulum class ships following my ship, the carrier is to defend the planet, any other ship hide behind the planet for an eventual FTL jump behind the enemy. Hackett out." a small button pushed and the connection link was cut "Romanadvoratrelundar, establish a network with the other Triangulum ships and prepare for full cyberwarfare. If we are lucky then maybe we can scramble their targeting before their AIs would push us back from their systems."

"Network prepared, cyberwar attack option prepared, coordination with the other ships running at optimal capacities" said the AI, ready for a fight '_maybe their AIs are nice and exotic with a strong attraction for good looking ship__s__, now that would be an interesting cyberwar option, __seduction tactics__ an alien AI._'

"Good, tell the other ships to prepare for FTL jump near the enemy fleet, prepare cyber attack at my mark" said the admiral waiting for a few seconds "Jump." 12 seconds in hyperspace and the Alliance Navy 5th fleet was face to face with the aliens, a look at the holographic display of the AI later and one word "Attack." And the entire turian fleet was incapacitated.

"Steve, they have no AI defenses. We took out every ship, they will have to purge the entire computer system to remove our presence, and they would still have no defense against us. Small inferior organics, I don't even think they are fun, at least not like you Steve" said Romanadvoratrelundar with a happy ton in the voice '_somewhat_ _disappointing, they don't even use AI_'.

"Thanks I think" strange to hear what seemed a compliment from his AI "starts analyzing their database, prepare a translation pack for contact, prepare an analysis of their culture and history. It looks like this might end peaceful after all. Open a link to the diplomatic station, gave me Udina on the line."

"It might take some time because a call on the diplomatic team will have to pass on every link in the chain of command" replied the AI, incidentally a certain communication officer named Vakarian was sneezing.

**10 minutes later**

"Ambassador, you should consider introducing a direct communication link emergencies, it's incredibly difficult to contact you past your gauntlet of minions" said Hackett, Udina's face on the grandiose display screen on Triangulum main bridge "we made contact with the alien fleet, disabled their ships and I was thinking to open diplomatic talks before this ends in bloodshed on our part."

"Strange, I would have imagined you military types would be shoot first and don't ask questions" said Udina.

"You are in the position for diplomatic interstellar ambassador for over six thousand years, time to do your job. I will sent you the preliminary analysis of their database, are you coming or not?" asked Hackett and he was right, Udina practically invented his current position and was the only person holding the seat.

"I will be there in under half an hour, make sure the stargate on your ship is operational."

* * *

**Turian fleet command bridge**

8 seconds, that was how long the aliens took between jumping in front of the fleet and disabling them, for Victus that was shameful and eye opening. For the past 45 minutes they have been unsuccessfully trying to unfreeze the computer systems. Only the sensors worked but that was more like a reminder of the alien power.

'_If these ships have the same weapons and barriers like the satellites then we have no chance to win a fight' _thought Victus in his chair, trying to think of a way to save his men.

"Sir, we have what seems to be an incoming communication link from one of the alien ships" said the communication officer while keeping his calm.

"Put it on our main display Vakarian" replied the general '_Surrender is the only option I have, it will destroy my military career but my men will live._'

"General Victus, greeting from the System Alliance" said the alien in what the translation software told him was perfect turian "My name is Donnel Udina, I represent the System Alliance and I have been assigned to find a peaceful resolve to our situation. Normally I would've demanded your surrender after destroying a significant portion of your forces, but we are civilized people so I propose what you may call an armistice" the asari lookalike told the general with an air of superiority on his face.

"Armistice?" asked Victus.

"More like a truce, we stop any aggression between our people and let your …" here the alien made a pause to look to the nearby screen "citadel council solve this dispute. We will also release in your custody the turians we captured, several of them are injured including what I think is a mad person who cut his own arm to escape a crashed shuttle before rescue teams could get to him."

"This sounds reasonable" and it really was, looking from the general perspective.

"Yes I am a reasonable person who likes to help those who help me. Now after we unfreeze your systems and transfer the prisoners, you will go to the citadel council and let them know a diplomatic party will be there in 2 weeks to discuss peace terms. I request you to be personally present there."

"Appearing with a fleet near the citadel might not be a good idea mister Udina" said the general.

"Then I will have to make sure to only bring a small diplomatic vessel and 2 escorts with their assigned vehicles" replied Udina sounding coy and then cutting the link.

"Well Vakarian, it seems we get to live. I will have to sign your transfer papers to C-sec after all. Give me fleet-wide._"_

"Fleet on com now sir" announced the communication officer.

"We have reached an agreement with the alien race and they will arrive at the citadel in 2 weeks for peace talks. They will return our men from the planet and allow us to move back to council space."

* * *

**Council private chambers **

Currently the council was in a briefing session, preparing to deal with the new race.

"I think supplementing the citadel fleet with 10 more ships would be a good idea, showing the new specie who the true power of the galaxy is" said the turian councilor.

"Impressing the new race will work in our favor, especially when we start the negotiations. But isn't the size of the citadel enough to do that?" Asked Tevos, the asari councilor.

"Their weapons suggest that we might not be able to easily impresses them. The extra ships might be needed" replied the salarian councilor.

"But they will only bring 3 ships. Why do we need such a big fleet?" asked Tevos.

"Their numbers are irrelevant we should let the turians bring as many ships as they want. What we should concern ourselves is the might of their cybernetic offensive. This kind of informational offensive power suggests heavy usage of AI units" said the salarian councilor.

"We must warn the new race about the dangers of AI units, the Geth caused enough problems. It would be a tragedy for our galaxy to have another synthetic race with a hate for organics" Tevos took a sip from her tea _'guiding new species in joining the citadel space will be such a delight, sharing the wisdom and experience of __millenniums__ of space travel the council has brings joy to my heart.'_

"Looking over the recording, this individual Udina, he looks similar to an asari. Are we sure your kind doesn't have a long lost colony?" Asked the turian councilor, almost as a joke.

A strange expression appeared over Tevos face, the other councilors understood this was a sensible point.

"I don't know" responded the asari with an almost sad face "I had several experts in genetics look over the images, and their results are not something I like to think about. This is not something like the same number of fingers with the batarians. By the goddess this new race has even the same teeth arrangement and we could see that from a rare shot where the alien smiles."

"What does this mean?" asked the turian.

"I don't know but it could imbalance the entire asari society, if this new race is a distant relative of asari then I will personally fight for them and help them grow in citadel space" replied Tevos.

"Problematic, long term would lead to an asari power-block. Suggest distancing yourself from the matter" said the salarian a bit worried about a distant future dominated by the asari.

"What would the asari gain from a new race who might or might not be their genetic cousin?" Asked the turian.

"The same thing turians would gain if volus would get a council seat" was the reply received from the asari.

The salarian moved to defuse the situation "We are getting ahead of ourselves we need to decide on …" And the talks continued late into the citadel night.

**Citadel flight control**

Today was the day the new race was supposed to arrive at the citadel for introductions. A space corridor was cleared for the diplomatic ship to approach the citadel. A special diplomatic landing pad was prepared in the citadel tower so the guest will not have to endure the slow elevators. General cleaning of the presidium and multiple C-Sec squads have been called from lower wards to provide security.

A singular officer solely responsible with traffic control and approving the flight path for the alien ship was now watching the scanners. Suddenly a cruiser sized [citadel standards] appeared on the screen. Following standard protocol the officer announced his superior on the prepared communication link.

"Sir, I believe one of the alien escorts arrived…" a small pause waiting for a reply "yes sir I will contact the smallest ship to arrive and provide them with a vector to follow to the prepared landing pad."

What happened next was transmitted live on the extra-net by several reporters and Citadel Traffic Channel 4, the sight made more than several military commanders faint.

Giant ruptures in the very fabric of reality formed and from them 2 massive space worthy movable objects emerged. It took the traffic control officer several galactic minutes to regain his breath.

"Sir, 2 things have appeared 6 light minutes out of the citadel, the smaller one is 3 thousand times a dreadnaught in length."

* * *

**System Alliance Diplomatic cruiser **

'_Moving the headquarters of the Alliance Navy and Alliance Air Force was a logistical nightmare, but the intimidation factor in negotiations will be immense_' thought Udina, his very long term plan to get into a position of great power was finally moving into terminal phases. Long ago when he created the interstellar diplomatic position he expected a cushy position and maybe one day becomes chief diplomatic position to an alien government. Now was his time to shine, fully backed by the System Alliance and many experts in every area he could think of. There was even budget for PR campaigns, ready to push immense resources to further his and his government's position.

"Start broadcasting IFF using the methods copied from the turian ships. Mark this ship as the diplomatic ship one and wait for them to contact us." '_Bait and hook drawing the line slowly, making sure fish doesn't realize the danger_' a small beep interrupted him, the flight vector was received. "Prepare the shuttle. We are launching in 5."

Watching the Citadel while the shuttle was in flight Udina's mind wandered around '_this is their seat of government, a small backwards metal cylinder left from who knows what past race. Compared to the masses that live millennium they should be easily controllable._'

The shuttle quickly reached the landing platform and easily stopped. The C-Sec officers gathered there could see a single alien walking from the shuttle, very asari like was the though on everyone's mind, except a few veteran fighters who were thinking something among the lines of '_no escorts?_'

Udina walked to the bird alien that seemed in charge and spoke a phrase he wanted to use since forever. "Take me to your leaders."

The leading turian nodded and after a short walk Udina was in front of the leading powers of the galaxy '_future ex-leading powers._' A short walk later and the ambassador arrived face to face with the council in council audience room at the top of the presidium tower. As requested general Victus was present. Everything was ready and the negotiations would be transmitted live in the entire known galaxy.

"General," a voice in the turian general ear said "don't talk, just nod if you want to become a councilor and help me end the batarian slavery" a strange proposal but looking around he could see he was the only one who could hear the voice. The only thing he could do was agree '_if the proposal was good then the galaxy would have to gain, if it wasn't then he had nothing to lose_' a small nod sealed the fate of the turian councilor.

"Esteemed council, allow me to present myself. I am Donnel Udina, diplomatic interstellar ambassador of the System Alliance. Pleased to meet you all."

"Allow us to introduce ourselves I am" begun Tevos but was interrupted when Udina made a small hand gesture.

"I already know who everyone here is councilor Tevos. Let us begin the negotiations for the peace settlement between the Turian Hierarchy and the System Alliance" said Udina.

"Yes, we already have the leader of the fleet who attacked you here as requested" said the turian councilor.

"Our intelligence services show that general Victus contacted the council and spoke to the turian councilor requesting orders on how to deal with the situation I believe your answer was and I quote **'I doubt this is even a new ****race****, they might be ****slavers looking for easy prey or a terminus race trying to score big**** but fine you have your permission to do whatever you want'** end the quote" the quote was spoken in the councilor voice '_having __central intelligence__ decrypt the conversational log of the turian fleet pays off _' his eyes moved to the asari and salarian councilors "I must admit, I have no idea how the citadel space works, but where I come from soldiers follow the orders of the elected leadership" finishing his statement Udina could see the eyes in the room were on him, he could see a small knowing look in the eyes of the asari '_so the blue women realized the plan, good, let's see if she plays along._'

"So are you saying that the turian councilor knew about this and didn't inform us?" asked Tevos deciding to see if the alien lead this conversation where she thought it would lead.

"Yes, his inaction could have sparked a serious war if we where a more violent race. Just imagine where this would've let to, a war bigger than the Rachni and the Krogan rebellion combined, and all because a councilor didn't want the opinion of his colleagues" said Udina gaining a reaction.

"But the general acted to prevent you from opening a relay that could lead to unknown treats" the turian councilor was trying to defend himself.

"Any good soldier follows the orders of his superiors, general Victus proved a great deal of intelligence in his tactics and in my opinion he would be a much better councilor then you. Following citadel regulation 426 I require for a vote of no confidence against the turian councilor" said Udina with a smile on his face '_the vote will be held in the coming months but if I can get one other councilor to agree, come on blue space babes help me._'

"I second the motion" said Tevos "until voting the current councilor is temporarily dismissed, we would need an interim turian councilor, how about you general Victus?"

The general who until now was silent could not believe what was happening, in less than 3 minutes the one named Udina made him one of the most powerful political figures in the galaxy. There was only the vote, but should the vote pass he would be a councilor, even if he didn't he would still be a councilor for a short period "I accept, in the name of the galactic stability we need to continue the talks."

"The next thing to discuss would be joining the citadel space of humanity, care to tell us a few words about your civilization mister Udina" said Tevos sounding diplomatic.

"The name of my race is humanity, this is the second time my race has risen among the stars the first time being destroyed millions of years ago" began Udina but was interrupted by the salarian councilor.

"Destroyed? What happened?" Asked a curious salarian councilor while the asari and the turian where curious on the million years statement.

"We don't know our surviving people where at the time in a colony ship frozen in time built from very advanced technology that resisted on the bottom of the ocean for 4 million years. The entire civilization was flourishing and the colony ship Atlantis was to be sent to colonize a space outside the network of what you call mass relays. Atlantis awoke my ancestors from the long hibernation and we've seen no trace of what happened to our old civilization" explained Udina.

"Mass relays older then protean civilization, interesting idea, validates several scientific studies that were ignored, and changes modern view on space travel. Please continue telling us about your people" continued the salarian.

"122574 years passed since we returned from hibernation, our population exploded, we are about 115 trillion sentient humans and 2 times that number in the MIND mainframe."

The big population number and the age of the human civilization caused a small silence in the chamber. The now named councilor Victus decided to take the word.

"If your race is that old, why didn't we encounter you earlier?" He asked.

"Only recently we decided to leave our home system, where would you meet us? After we returned to space we observed the in-system mass relay has been moved, recent exploration have revealed the closest relay to be at a distance of3000 light-years from us" said Udina.

"I am sure the council space would gladly welcome humanity" said Tevos already convinced.

"Yes sadly we cannot join because there are certain citadel regulations that the population would not agree to" said Udina '_come on take the bait and ask the question._'

"Can you give us more details?" Asked Victus wanting the human help to abolish slavery.

"For start, our best ships and installations use artificial intelligence" replied Udina.

"AI dangerous, synthetic life cannot understand organics. Regulations must be followed" said the salarian.

"In our constitution a person is defined by 2 things: complex reasoning and the ability to procreate. We developed artificial intelligence long before any of your civilizations developed writings and consider our synthetics brothers and sisters just like we consider any human. There will be no termination of any AI" spoke Udina with a definitive tone.

"I think we can agree to modify the law allowing human AIs to exist" said Tevos.

"The next problem would the ban against genetic modification. We achieved genetic immortality, do you really thing the human population would give up living forever?" Asked Udina.

"I am sure we can allow humans to continue the research of genetic engineering provided they share the current research" responded the salarian councilor already thinking of longer lifespan for his race.

"That can be negotiated. We should talk about your definition of dreadnaughts" said Udina.

"Vessels above certain length with spinal mounted weapon on most of the length of the ship. I am sure your race is familiar with the concept" said the ex-general.

"Yes, and we have no dreadnaughts in any of our fleets. While true that we have vehicles bigger than your definition, none of them has weapon emplacements bigger then your definition of a cruiser and definitely not what you define a dreadnaught to have. Even safer, our current navy main weapons would dissipate into atmosphere if trying to bombard a planet. Anyway the last problem that needs to be resolved now would about sharing the scientific research" said Udina.

"What would be your problem in sharing research at galactic level?" Asked the salarian again.

"Currently there are 2 main currents in the scientific community about sharing technology with aliens. The first says some technologies we have will destroy the current galactic society and should be introduced slowly taking small steps and ensuring that for instance our mass converter will eliminate the mining industry and leave millions unemployed. While the second current proposes that we should not share any advancement and allow other races to develop original technologies preventing stagnation" explained Udina.

"I can generally agree with the first idea, I say humanity should be allowed an embassy on the citadel. In the next several days similar negotiations will be help to establish the terms" said Tevos.

"Agreed, maybe then we can see each other in person" said Udina.

"In person?" Asked confused the salarian councilor.

"Yes, what you see now is only small flying drone using holographic technology. You didn't think any normal sane sentient would just walk on an alien station without at least making sure first there isn't any risk first" replied Udina disappearing and shocking everyone.

**End of chapter. Next chapter we have the blitz, Mindoir and Torfan.**

* * *

_Codex_

_MIND Mainframe – _A huge quantum computer providing mental housing for close to 230 trillion humans who decided to leave their organic body and spend the rest of eternity into a simulated reality where each human has powers similar to that of a deity. While not a hive mind the MIND is capable of joining the thinking process of a group of people at their request. Joining the MIND requires a conscious effort and it is impossible to add the mind of a corpse to the MIND.

_Orbital Weapon Platform – _Powerful VI control satellites armed with plasma weapons, usually deployed in orbit of planets to defend ground location for space attacks.

_Sonic Shock Weapon –_ Weapons developed by the System Alliance Army as advanced shotgun options. It works by emetic a powerful shock-wave that travels as sound. Not effective over certain distances because cone of the shock-wave disperses.

_System Alliance ground armor –_ While each military arm of the System Alliance has specialized armor, all function on the same principle. Thick trinium plating backed by up strength enhancing servomotors stops energy weapons while kinetic fields slow down high speed projectile transforming a powerful high-speed impact into a small pellet bouncing off the powerful armor.

_Human culture –_Humanity is currently in the 14 rebirth of what is called late 20, early 21 century culture. Classic remade movies and television shows entertain the population and are compared to the originals, foods and drinks from those times are the public favorites.

**AN: I had a lot of problems with this chapter because originally I wanted to have a fully fledged war but then decided against it, 14k words containing a turian surrender over Palaven will never see the light of fan fiction(mostly because they remind me of another fic with turian surrender over Palaven). I decided to do the smart thing, when you have a group of powerful AIs, why not let the fight the enemy first? We hear in ME2 EDI telling us about managing the cyber warfare suite but we never see it in action, disappointing. **

**If any of you see any type of mistakes in what I write then you are invited to tell me where I am wrong, some people like to improve themselves and I am one of them, each mistake pointed to me will help me grow and develop as a better writer, thanks in advance.**

**Initially I wanted this chapter to also contain GNN section with reaction to what happened in this chapter, but it seems that I have no idea how to write it. **

**Who doesn't like Udina in general? Except me. The idea is that he has a lot of potential, I didn't see many stories keeping up a political corner and I plan that to have a small view into what happens on the citadel at least once every 3-4 chapters. Think about it, Shep is out killing people, but what happens in the background? What is the motivation behind the political leaders? We shall see.**

**Finally a small question, I was thinking to also add personnel files to my codex, maybe explain where Hackett got his scar (can you spell vibroblade duel). Should I do it? Reply by PM or review.**

**Please review, FLAMERS ALLOWED.**


	4. Human Mass IV

**Disclaimer: **Mass effect belongs to Bioware and/or EA (and not to the author of the fiction) any other elements of this respective fiction belong to their respective owners and not to the author of the fiction.

**Warning: **Morally questionable Udina, the impossibly to believe good grammar.

* * *

"_**The humans of old poisoned the air, the water and the ground to kill the weak."**_

The citadel, deadly trap for all civilizations built by the reapers for those that knew the truth. Beautiful and grandiose creation of structure made by long gone predecessors, seat of government and heart of the galaxy to the young races who made the old structure into their home. Small and insignificant station in a random corner of the galaxy for the humans.

For ambassador Donnel Udina the citadel was his new office, the current place of power to new horizons, a location from which he could pull the strings and make the events to help his cause. Lately things did not follow his path. The move to have a human specter didn't work, the turian councilor still kept his position even after a nasty PR campaign, humanity still didn't have a seat on the council, and he STILL couldn't find a good drink around. He could only hope something would change or he would have to start taking aggressive actions.

'_Hearth of the civilized galaxy my rear, you can't find a good drink around here I have to get my Rum delivered by stargate. At least the asari are easy on the eye, that's something. Mental note number 43, hire an asari secretary_' a small beep on the console interrupted him.

[Urgent]

A small batarian fleet attacked the colony of Mindoir, orbital weapons where successful in repelling the invaders. Intelligence agencies have revealed data that suggest batarian government was backing the aggressors. Military action will be taken by the navy. A single Triangulum ship has been dispatched to the base system of the aggressors, a system know to citadel races as Torfan. You are to deal with the diplomatic side of the batarian actions and minimize any repercussions the action of the navy might have.

~ System Alliance Parliament Chief Internal Diplomacy Minister Anita Goyle

[/Urgent]

'_And here is __the__ change __I wanted__, a chance to gently or not so gently push things into the right path. Keep calm and out-manipulate your opponents into a verbal trap, the motto of the diplomatic school will have to be applied in this situation._' A small sip from the glass revealed that it was empty, slowly refilling it the ambassador was thinking about why would only one ship be dispatched to deal with an entire system.'_A nova bomb, those imbeciles plan to make my life even harder, they are planning to destroy the entire system in one hit as a show of power. While good to show strength, sometimes it can scare possible allies especially if those allies don't have the capabilities to build large space __habitats.' _Deciding to act Udina pressed a button on his desk.

"Request an audience with the council and the batarian ambassador. Mark it semi-urgent but don't send it on the urgent channels. Let them seem slow."

* * *

**Citadel Council private room**

This special room had every anti-surveillance method know to council races, this special room was locked so well that not even the keepers could get inside, this special room was the place where the lives of trillions sentients where decided, this special room was the council private meeting room.

Right now councilor Tevos was preparing for a public semi-urgent meeting with the human and batarian ambassador. Even now the private session after the first talks with the humans was on her mind.

_[Flashback]_

"How could you suspend me?" asked the turian councilor filled with anger.

"Did you see the size of ships outside, by the goddess how could they build things that big" said the asari.

"Don't try to divert the subject" replied the turian councilor.

"I am not, we still don't know anything about them or their culture. What if those immense ships attacked because we didn't agree. Think about it, they brought to the hearth of our government ships that are bigger then small planetoids" said Tevos.

"Logic sound. Still the claims of immortality more concerning. I wonder how old is the ambassador" said the salarian.

"It would be insulting to ask people their age, especially if they are immortal. But I don't understand why the immortality concerns you more then the ships" said Tevos.

"I think I understand why" spoke for the first time general Victus, who as acting councilor was present at the meeting "just think about, if you have all the time in the universe then you have time to learn anything you want. A scientist could spend thousands of years studding a certain field, or a soldier could hone their skills better then anyone except maybe krogans. Just think of a biotic who had ten thousand years to train, the asari matriarchs are nothing compared to that."

"Yes, that sounds dangerous, very dangerous. And your reports on the capabilities of the ships make them worse. What can we do if they decide to fight us?" Asked the turian councilor his anger decreasing and thinking about the safety of the council space.

"How do you deal with somebody that has nothing to lose?" asked rhetorically Tevos not expecting a reply "You give him something to win, so he may have something to lose in the future. Yes their army is superior, yes they might be older and more advanced. But there must be things they could get from us if they are exploring. Diplomacy and trade should be our bond and link us to humanity, even if at first we are nothing more then a tourist attraction, slowly our civilizations will intertwine and their people will not want war against us."

"Sound plan. I will draft some research agreements for combined laboratories, even if they don't accept the idea now, the humans will know the door is opened. In that way maybe the council science will benefit."

_[/Flashback]_

In the days following the first meeting more negotiations followed. Stargates where gifted to the citadel races and every council home-world was now linked to the citadel. Human companies practically invaded the galaxy. Medigel was quickly becoming the first aid answer to everything from scraped knees of small children to gunshot wounds. Food and drinks firms where ferociously pushing coffee and fast food to every corner of the galactic civilization. While there where some not agreeing with the fast expansion of human power and culture, good publicity and the quality of everything introduced was quickly convincing any naysayer. The dextro-DNA turians escaped the food and drinks expansion but didn't escape the entertainment boom of war films.

'_Yes the humans have integrated well in citadel space_' thought Tevos while sipping some coffee from her cup '_the coffee alone is worth having them around._'

"Why do you think the human ambassador asked for this meeting?" Asked the turian.

"It could be anything. Maybe proposing another specter?" Replied the asari taking another sip of coffee "Not that I would be against it, but the last one didn't seem too patient. Maybe let them wait a few more years before allowing them another try? It's not like age affects humans."

"I think this meeting is about the Torfan system. The batarian ambassador was invited. Torfan went blank a day ago. Conclusion logical." replied the salarian councilor, this was one of his last meeting before retiring of old age.

***DING***DING***DING***

"I think we should move to the public meeting area. Council punctuality says a lot about us" said the turian.

"Slow down, we are the council, people expect for us not the other way around" said Tevos, noticing that the turian councilor was trying more and more to please the public after nearly losing his position in the elections started by the no-confidence vote.

* * *

**Council Public Room**

The councilors entered the room and took their positions. The batarian ambassador was tired of waiting.

"So human, tell us the reason you called us here" said the batarian not in the mood for delays.

"There has been an attack on the human colony of Mindoir, information recovered from the ships" '_because I can't say we have spies in your government_' "suggests the slavers where based in the Torfan system and where backed by batarian officials. There has been a military action against the pirates and I would like to know what actions your people will take against the ones backing the slavers" said Udina '_now to wait for the proper question_'.

"Slavery is an important trait of my civilization caste system, we cannot and will not punish any batarians who moved to acquire slaves" said the batarian ambassador with pride in his voice.

Tevos was watching the discussions and wanted to see where this was going, in the time Udina has settled on the citadel he gave an air of political sniper, somebody who moves into the perfect position for the perfect action. She sent a small message from her console to the other councilors to wait and see.

"I understand and agree that the batarian culture will crumble without the batarian caste system supporting the batarian government" said Udina starting his idea putting a point on the word 'batarian' and making sure everybody in the room understood that, even the small TV crew seemed to focus the camera on him "but we are not talking about batarian slaves, we are talking about slavers. Why should our people be slaves?" took a small break and seeing the batarian ambassador opening the mouth to speak but decided to interrupt "so I would like to propose to the batarian ambassador, your government should directly forbid and punish by death the owning of a non batarian slave?"

"Wait what?" asked the batarian ambassador confused.

"I understand slavery is wrong and I am trying to take steps to abolish it. And if your society would crumble without them I am willing to take small steps. The first small step should be stopping the non batarian slaves. If you can't accept that the we should let it crumble and help the survivors build a better civilization" said Udina.

"Are you declaring war?" Asked the batarian now shocked and somewhat confused at the lack of intervention of the council in the conversation.

"No, why would I do such a thing. The military did, just before I entered this chamber I received the confirmation of their actions. They attacked Torfan, liberated the slaves and launch a nova bomb into the system's star" said Udina shocking everybody in the room.

"Destroying a star as actions against slavers is an over exaggeration" said the turian councilor still angry on the human ambassador for trying to remove him.

Udina smiled, the turian took the verbal bait."No. It sends a message to the galaxy not to try and take human slaves. I don't know about you turian, but I will not be able to rest at night knowing my people are enslaved to another race. How can you have any rest knowing that the sons and daughters of the turians you serve are treated like animals. I think I am doing too little and I hope the future generation to forgive me but I tried the peaceful alternative" he stopped, took a small breath, waited several seconds for dramatic effect "I will propose the System Alliance to take actions against the batarian slave system."

"I ask the council to do something before humans invade and kill my people" said the batarian while fear was starting to spread in his body.

"The council will not involve in private disputes. Offer of diplomatic support is always opened if both parties desire talk. Important thing is limitation of weapons capable of destroying an entire system" said the salarian.

"I will agree to help limit the use of Nova bombs to systems without any garden world" said Udina.

"We will offer full rights to the Attican Traverse in exchange for agreeing to use Nova bombs only with the agreement of the citadel council" said Tevos thinking of the benefits '_I am not really giving anything, simply saying the region is under System Alliance control. Terminus warlords will disagree and attack, they will lose and the region will become safer._'

"I am certain my superiors will agree with those terms and I would like to thank this council for recognizing the Attican Traverse as a region under the banner of the System Alliance."

"First you let humans practically declare war on me and now you give them the space we have asked for long before they even emerged on the galactic stage. This is an outrage, the batarian government will leave the citadel" declared the batarian ambassador angry exiting the room.

"I will contact my superiors for approval on the Nova bombs agreement" said Udina exiting the room. He was thinking about several things but his main though was '_good meeting, increased the recognized territory and put a nail in the turian councilor coffin. Even better I will end slavery for an entire race, that will certainly give me a good spot in the history pages._'

In the coming years the System Alliance Navy will destroy every batarian space station and ship and liberate every slave they could find. Slave riots where started on the ground and helped by the Alliance Army and Air Force to gain control of the planets. Eventually the 'helped' batarian revolution ended and the ex slaves and low caste members started to rebuild their society.

* * *

**Triangulum **

Admiral Hackett was currently escorting a specialized aid group to open talks with the quarian people. More importantly was to establish an alliance with them and perhaps offer the galaxy an alternative to the citadel council as a group of species forcing the current councilors to offer humanity a leading seat or risk a rupture in the galactic political environment.

"Steve, we have arrived to the last know location of the migrant fleet" said the AI.

"I can see that, please contact what you can find as the leading vessel."

"So you have returned to destroy us, you artificial worshiping bosh'tets. Leave before I turn every weapon in the fleet on you" said an angry Han'Gerrel.

"We are here to help you, why attack us?" asked Hackett confused.

"That's what you said the last time before attacking us with your AIs. I lost tens of thousands of people. LEAVE." said an even more angry Han'Gerrel.

With the push of a button the transmission was cut by Hackett. "Get us out of here, it's clear we are not wanted here." The Triangulum entered hyperspace and left the area."Contact central intelligence I want to know what happened with the quarians."

"Already on it. I sent an information request to central intelligence. They will deal with it" replied Romanadvoratrelundar.

"You will find me in the ready room."

**Triangulum ready room**

Several minutes have passes and the admiral was enjoying a nice glass of wine and remembering about the past. A nice thought brought him back to the scar on his face. It was a long and incredibly hard to survive duel against a captain who was trying to gain support for promotion to admiral. Two weeks after the duel the captain was named admiral of a newly created fleet.

'_Hannah Shepard, your mind is as sharp as your vibroblade. If I didn't move my head __then I would now be the__ headless __admiral__. Good duel._'

"Steve, we have received a reply from the AI managing the request server" said Romanadvoratrelundar.

"Good, please tell me what happened" said the admiral.

The AI representation appeared like taking a deep breath "It seems like a human supremacist group called Cerberus is behind an attack on the quarian flotilla. While not very old they have already a good intelligence network and have been able to hide their motives and assets."

"It seems like this days anybody with money can make a spy group. There are already dozens of strong group like Section 31, OSI, Tal'Shiar and the list could go on. Send a request to categorize Cerberus as a terrorist group and another request to central intelligence requesting them to deal with Cerberus."

_**The end. Next on human mass Eden prime. Shepard enters the stage. **_

* * *

_Codex_

_Central Intelligence – _Human civilization gathered a large amount of intelligence services, all of this services report in a smaller or bigger measure to the central intelligence and receive orders from it. While appearing powerful this agency has no direct method of enforcing orders or requesting information. Everything is offered voluntarily to it and ranked at certain levels of classification.

_Human Asari relations – _More romantic couples and marriages registered between humans and asari happened since the first contact then between any other two species. While several asari groups say the close resemblance means that nothing is gain in their genetic code the rest of the asari seem to enjoy knowing their partner's natural lifespan will not end long before theirs.

_Coffee – _Already one of highest exports of humanity coffee can be found everywhere there is a levo DNA population. The great taste and the effects of caffeine made this one of the top drinks on many asari and salarian words. Several non human companies have received permission to grow coffee plantations and recently a religion worshiping coffee started on Sur'Kesh.

_Krogan Human relations – Many krogan _mercenaries see humans as prime competition. While humans don't have such strong regeneration, their skin, bones and internal organs are much stronger then most citadel races and what they lack in strength makes up in endurance. Both races share long lifespans that allow them to gain impressive amounts of battle experience. What the future might bring, humans and krogans will be there to fight it.

**AN: Sorry for the short chapter but I didn't want to push into Eden prime and cut at half or make a cliffhanger. The next chapter should cover the geth invasion and end after Shep leaves for the Saren hunt. I wanted to finish this sooner but I wanted to finish Xcom EW with Ironman on the highest difficulty. I am opened to suggestions and corrections. **

**Hate Udina? Well he is still around and will be around until ME3 time-line with several intermissions where he is the main dude. Be prepared for bad humor, bad grammar and some bad writing containing fresh ideas. My attention span might be strange you might get 3 chapters a week or 1 a month so don't be disappointed if you don't see a chapter for a while.**

**Flamers allowed.**


	5. Human Mass V

**AN: **Started with the original SR2 and we will keep upping the ships from there, imagine a ME3 stealth dreadnaught ship, I understand in the game the ship was only needed for small team deployment, but I don't see the System Alliance in this fic keeping their specter in a small ship if they can build a better one.

**Warning: **Bad plot, language, lack of grammar and spelling problems.

* * *

"_**The humans of old started an immense and horrible campaign trying to destroy their home planet to push the entire species to the stars."**_

**Sovereign observation deck**

While the reaper was not built to accommodate crew it had several rooms who suited organics well enough. Saren was currently sitting in what he classified as the observation deck preparing for the opening move in his plan of vengeance.

"Are you sure we are doing the right thing?" Asked Benezia the asari matriarch he attracted to the cause.

"We both know the humans are a threat to the galaxy, they must pay for killing my brother, they must be stopped for the sake of us all" said Saren with conviction in his voice.

"Yes my little wing will be kept away from their filthy corrupting hands, I know many good asari who left their loved ones for humans. I will rather die then allow Liara to become a toy for one" said Benezia.

"This is the first step, Sovereign will hack the orbital defenses, me and the geth will recover the information and then cover this as a geth attack. After Eden Prime I have a mission for you" said Saren.

"I will gladly do anything to further the cause and stop the humans" said Benezia.

"I know and this is something suited to the unique skills of a matriarch. Don't worry about your daughter, I will dispatch the geth to recover and bring her to Sovereign where she will be safe."

"I will do the mission and thank you for protecting my little wing."

* * *

**Normandy SR2 - cockpit **

"Drift under 1500K" said Joker proudly.

"1500 good, still place for better. But I guess your captain will be pleased" declared Nihlus and left, his steps where quit, his breathing silent, if one didn't see him it was impossible to know he was even there.

"At least I don't wear makeup" said Joker looking at his would be copilot Kaidan Alenko "pompous space ninja."

"Come on, he is not that bad" said Kaidan and speaking from his memory he would've picked Nihlus over Shepard any day of the week.

"I don't like him. Besides specters are trouble. Call me paranoid" said Joker.

"You're paranoid" interjected Shepard announcing his presence.

"Commander, you scared me" replied Joker startled "what is your opinion on the situation?"

"Let's see, we have a ship designed for stealth with systems so advanced that we could sneak in the most defensed places in the citadel without anyone knowing we are there, we have a specter that is basically a space ninja dash secret agent, and the launch schedule of the ship was moved 3 weeks in advance. No shit Sherlock how did you figure this out, you must be a detective" said Shepard.

"No need to be a smartass commander" replied Joker.

Before Shepard could reply with an intelligent and well though insult, an insult that would've entered the history books and would've saved the galaxy from destruction Admiral Anderson also the acting captain of the vessel interrupted everyone on the com "Status report."

"We can check as done the entire jumping into a system silently procedure on the test list. Want to check connectivity with comm buoy?" Asked Joker in official mode.

"Yes patch us into the system and run a small diagnostic" confirmed Anderson.

"Brace yourself Nihlus is coming" said Joker.

The small holography display next to him reserved for the ship AI activated and the artificial intelligence decided to intervene in the conversation "Council specter Nihlus is already in the presence of Admiral Anderson."

"Thanks for embarrassing me EDI" said Joker.

"You're welcomed flight lieutenant Moreau" replied EDI.

"If you are finished with your little lover's spat send Shepard to the meeting room" said Anderson over the com.

"Is it me or the admiral is hallucinating because there is nothing between me and EDI" said Joker.

"Com link still opened flight lieutenant Moreau" announce EDI.

Joker quickly closed the communication link before saying more things that would get him into trouble.

And Shepard, commander James Tiberius Leonidas John Rex Jose Shepard was walking from the cockpit to the meeting room, he was pleased his this ship, while the first model was underpowered the second and current one was much larger and it had a bar, a BAR.

Walking into the meeting room Shepard took a look around '_nice room __and the wood table really compliments the whole look_'. Nihlus and Anderson where seated at opposing sides with the specter carefully watching the admiral sipping his coffee.

"Commander, nice to finally see you here. I was looking over your file and was hoping for a chance to talk" said Nihlus not moving or in any other way acknowledging that Shepard entered the room.

"True, I wanted to have a talk myself. But I decided to wait and see when the council specter will start the conversation. So what do you want to talk about?" Asked Shepard taking a seat.

"Eden Prime, what did you hear of it" started Nihlus, but it was more like a rhetorical question because he didn't allow Shepard to answer "some say this planet is a paradise, a proof humans can build colonies in the Traverse and protect them. But the question begs are you ready?"

"So you are making a veiled threat while trying to elicit a response from me. To continue this exchange of unanswered questions, why test me? Why did the navy insist on me being the XO on this ship? Why did they send my mother to ask me to take this job after I already turned it down twice? Admiral's presence and several rumors about him provide some answers, but you, you my turian are the final piece of this ineffective puzzle. I must assume Eden Prime is the first in a series of missions I will take with you as tests for my candidacy in the specters" said Shepard finishing his exposition.

"When I heard you where smart I didn't expect this" said Nihlus impressed.

"The commander is smart, but he has his share of faults, let's not forget about the veiled insults he tends to sneak when addressing his superiors" said the admiral.

"I never insulted my superiors sir" said Shepard.

"How about this morning when we had a talk concerning your late paperwork?" Asked Anderson.

"I never insulted my superiors" said Shepard again, this time with a large superiority smirk.

"I think it's time to tell the commander the truth" said the admiral.

"We are making a covert pick up on Eden Prime retrieving a prothean beacon. This is the reason we needed the stealth systems online" revealed Nihlus.

"And you couldn't inform the crew after we left the docks because? Just think about it, the crew needs to know this is a mission and not a simple test of all the systems. One tiny slip during the operational tests and this ship is in danger. Hell the senior staff are not even at their stations. Pressly was talking with Adams near navigation, doctor Chakwas was chatting with Jenkins just outside the meeting room. Leaving your own crew unprepared is a very bad decision" said Shepard with conviction.

Anderson shot Shepard a glance, truly upset his XO was questioning his decisions "What's the worst it could happ..."

"We are receiving a planetary distress signal from Eden Prime" announced EDI.

"Details?" asked the admiral.

"No details, it appears whoever attacked the planet hacked the orbital satellites and all major communication systems. We are receiving the distress from ground troupes portable transceivers" informed EDI.

"And those signals will allow the invaders to pinpoint individual tropes for the invaders to pin down and kill them. The army guys down there must be stupid or desperate to do something like this" said Shepard.

"The closest fleet is 40 minutes away, EDI contact central using the QEC and have them send us backup. We will drop tropes with the stealth system engaged and do our mission. EDI give me ship-wide" after receiving confirmation of having ship-wide communications the admiral continued "everybody battle station, we will make a stealth drop on Eden Prime. The colony has just been attacked and we have no way of knowing what is there. I want everybody ready and the plasma reactor ready to power-up. Commander Shepard will lead the ground team to secure a prothean beacon."

"You had to invite Murphy into this didn't you" after Shepard said that he moved from his seat to the door "we will be ready to deploy in 5."

**Normandy cargo bay**

"I will go in solo and scout ahead, you and your team will provide support and deal with the enemies" said Nihlus.

"Isn't it stupid to go alone when you have a team ready to back you? And why do you lack a helmet?" asked Shepard.

"I am a specter, don't worry I will be fine" replied Nihlus and jumped from the ship landing on the ground.

"I guess we will have to follow him and make sure he doesn't die on my watch" said Shepard.

"Geronimo" screamed Jenkins and jumped down quickly followed by Shepard and Kaidan Alenko.

* * *

**Ground side Eden Prime**

"Jenkins, you forgot your helmet" said the commander.

"Don't worry I am an alliance navy marine I will be fine" said Jenkins winking.

Just at that moment Nihlus contacted the group "Hostiles everywhere, I think this is a geth attack. Be prepared for anti-synthetic combat" and the squad set the laser rifles to synthetic disruptor settings.

"We are going to move to the dig site, keep your eyes opened. Use cover and check the motion scanners for any inbound enemies" instructed Shepard, and while good orders any soldier was trained for it '_b__etter repeat things and sound boring then to have people die for not being careful._'

The first few hundred meters proved to be without any hostile encounters and while Shepard was becoming increasingly paranoid Jenkins was relaxing more and more. Several flying drones suddenly appeared in the open. Without any time to react the 4 drones targeted Jenkins and focused fire on his head bypassing his shield and easily killing him. Half a minute later the drones where dealt with and Kaidan was able to investigate Jenkins's death.

"They overwhelmed the kinetic dampeners with multiple shots in the same surface and killed him" he said trying to sound detached.

"And this is what happens to idiots who don't keep their helmets on. I bet Nihlus is next" said Shepard with no remorse.

"Commander, how can you say that? He just died"

"Dieing doesn't make you smart or suddenly right. Idiot in life, idiot in death. Move over it, we have killing to do" said Shepard.

"Right commander"

Several more minutes where spent walking to the dig site and killing several drones. While not necessarily a threat multiple drones firing in the same spot are able to overwhelmed the shields so cover was substantially used. Shots could be heard coming from the direction of the dig site. Taking cover Shepard and Alenko could see an army soldier killing several drones. While Kaidan was happy to have what seemed to be backup the commander's mind was on one thing only '_who the hell allowed her to use pink armor'. _

"Attention" screamed Shepard channeling his time as army officer.

"Sir, yes sir" responded the soldier in pink armor almost instinctive.

"Name and rank soldier" screamed again Shepard '_is it me or is screaming a fun activity._'

"Sergeant first class Ashley Williams of 212, sir."

"Commander Shepard here, this is Kaidan Alenko. I want a full status report."

"Sir, me and my squad came under attack from geth. They overwhelmed and killed most of my squad, a retreat was called and I am the only one who escaped. I was trying to route back to the dig site" said Ashley.

'_Poor girl, only the training and keeping her mind on the task at hand will keep her from going into shock, she will probably need several session to make sure this doesn't evolve into PTSD. Mind back on the talk and focusing her on killing the geth_' "Sergeant, you will join my squad and we will move to secure the beacon. I know the army prefers explosive rounds and sonic booms instead of laser so try and take shots on targets with low shielding while Alenko here will be focused on leaving them opened for you."

"Sir, yes sir."

A short walk, surprisingly free of any enemies got them close to the dig site. The commander learned in this time that everybody in the colony knew about the beacon, and that Nihlus was the only turian on the planet. Still he was again feeling a bit of anger at Anderson for hiding the truth about the mission '_you leave an entire colony to know about it, civilians and TV crews and you hide it from the people who serve under you as security? Damn that sounds idiotic, and why bring only a frigate if this wasn't truly a secret, why not station a fleet above the planet from the beginning, all of this could have been avoided._'

"Are those people on impaled on the stakes?" Asked Kaidan shocked.

"Yes, I guess this makes an excellent psychological warfare tactic, who knew geth where good at it. The developing mind of a synthetic always fascinated me" said Shepard channeling his inner scientist.

"Commander, how can you say that? They are dead" asked Kaidan more shocked at his commander opinion.

"And saying good things will not make then feel better or revive them" explained Shepard.

But just at that moment the spikes retracted and the bodies hit the ground. The skin was gray, the mouth frozen in an eternal silent scream, the clothing still on them giving the dead bodies a humanizing aspect. By size you could tell that several children where among the impaled group. And at the moment the last spike retracted the bodies started rising as puppets on the strings of a not so talented puppeteer. The moves where slow and heavy, lacking coordination but still moved in the direction of the squad.

"Open fire" Shepard ordered, and his team started killing the group. Trying to save his companions the sorrow of dealing with it, he prioritized killing the zombie children '_I can deal with it, Kaidan is already psychically sensitive and more of this will cause even bigger problems for Ashley after her team got killed. __Maybe I should get her started on that anti-PTSD untested pills_' with this thought on his mind he squeezed the trigger killing another enemy. Soon there was no enemy to kill. While numbering in over two dozen the foes where lacking speed range and tactics.

"These people, the man and women" Kaidan took a break and looked around at the bodies "nothing has remained. They are now empty husks of their former selves."

"We need to make sure they didn't die in vain, we need to secure the beacon" said the commander '_husk sounds like a good classification, better then my meta-zombie idea._'

"The beacon is not here" announced Ashley.

"It must have been moved, the question is by who?" Asked Kaidan not expecting an answer.

"I would say by the colonists. Normandy was supposed to pick up the beacon right about now and I am very sure that landing on the dig site wasn't in the plan. I would suggest we move to the space port" said Shepard.

***BANG***

An extremely loud shot was heard by the squad and everyone was looking around for enemies.

* * *

**Spaceport **

After moving faster to the spaceport and quickly dealing with the geth troupes encountered the team arrived to find Nihlus dead. Kaidan approached to scan just like he did when Jenkins died.

"Killed by single shot, close range, heavily modified citadel species pistol."

"And I warned him to wear a helmet. Oh well, what a tragedy, I feel so very sorry he died" said Shepard sounding sarcastic.

"He just died commander, why do you feel the need to laugh at him?" Asked Kaidan while Ashley was silent and looking for any more enemies.

"Hey wearing a helmet will save your life and beside..." the commander was interrupted by a sound behind some crates "HEY YOU BEHIND THOSE CRATES, get where I can see you or I will dump a grenade in your spot."

"Don't shoot, I'm human" said the man behind the crates.

"Who are you?" asked Shepard trying to find out what happened.

"They call my Ferb, but my name is Phineas Powell" said the young man sounding scared.

"Aren't a bit too young to work in the docks?" Asked Shepard trying to calm the visibly younger man.

"No, am I not"

"Good. Now Ferb tell us what happened here?"

"I was just behind these crates when I saw a turian kill that turian. The other one was here first and this one arrived called him Saren, let his guard down and got shot in the back. I am lucky he didn't see me."

"We are looking for the prothean beacon. I think it was moved here" stated Shepard.

"You can find it on the other platform, I was part of the time that moved it this morning. Part of the reason I am alive. I was taking a nap here behind the crates after all that hard work."

"Go back to your sleep" said Shepard and shot him with his laser rifle on stun setting.

"Commander!" said Ashley shocked.

"I am saving his life, he will not be able to move for at least several hours. This means any motion scanner will not pick him and it will save his life if any enemies falls back while we are not here. Sometimes getting shot helps and sometimes leaving people alive hurts more. Now move out" responded Shepard.

Taking the monorail to the second platform the team encountered an increasingly large amount of geth and had to disarm several nuclear devices powerful enough to irradiate the entire colony. Finally securing the area the group approached the beacon.

"Shepard to Normandy, come in EDI."

"We hear you commander."

"Beacon is secure, request immediate evac at my location."

"Understood, time to evac 4 minutes, stand by commander. Compiling a mission report based on your actions, stand by, it will be uploaded once you are secure on board the Normandy."

Turning around to ask his team to set a perimeter Shepard noticed Kaidan was drawn to the beacon. While not specialized in biotics a small charge and a push allowed the commander to save his squad member from the effects of the beacon. But he got caught in the field. Slowly risen by the green light things, iy started to be downloaded in his mind. Machines killing organics, death and decay, sorrow. But all this seemed to be incomplete and impossible to understand. Like he was trying to finish a puzzle using only half the pieces.

The information download stopped, in truth it lasted only a second. But a powerful explosion pushed Shepard away at high velocity. The landing was not soft and the only reason he was alive was the helmet cushioning the impact to his head. Still the hit was hard and he lost conscience.

* * *

**Normandy**

Later in the medical room commander Shepard opened his eyes, having a massive headache didn't stop him from rising, leaving the soft comfortable medical bed.

"Doctor Chakwas, he is away" said an unrecognized voiced in a normal tone, but for the commander is sounded like screaming.

"You had us worries commander" said the doctor starting a scan "how are you feeling?"

"My head hurts like hell and I would really like something for it. How long was I out?" asked Shepard curious of his time in the medbay.

"15 hours commander, now hold still" responded the doctor taking a hypo-syringe and injecting several substances in his bloodstream.

"Commander, Admiral Anderson has expressed a desire to talk with you as soon as you are awake" announced the AI.

"A few moments EDI" said the doctor "commander, do you have anything medical to report?"

"Weird visions before the beacon exploded, strange synthetics killing organics, death, destruction, decay. But I don't think any of this is medical, only things connected to the beacon, still it gives me the feeling that this beacon didn't contain the entire message" responded Shepard "also" and he got close to whisper in the doctor's ear "start Williams on substance 11."

"Better add this to my report, downloading information in the brain is dangerous if done in a short amount of time" said Chakwas/

"Good to see you transferred on the Normandy, Williams" said the commander noticing Anderson walking inside the medbay '_I knew he wouldn't wait in the meeting room_' "at least we filled the gap left by Jenkins."

"This looks bad commander" said Anderson making a sign for Chakwas and Ashley to leave the room "Nihlus is dead, the beacon exploded, thousands of casualties. The army will spend days killing what you classified as husks. The council will want answers, especially for their dead agent."

"I did everything right. I even asked Nihlus not to go alone or at least take a helmet, and if they believe I caused in any way a beacon to explode then they are idiots" said Shepard thinking '_but all politicians are idiots so my chances are not that good._'

"I will stand behind you while you make the report to the council. In my books you are a damn hero, you saved the colony" reassured Anderson "but the other turian, the one who shot Nihlus is a specter. His name is Saren Arterius, a goddamn legend in the citadel space."

"His name sounds familiar, where did I hear it" taking a small break and rubbing his forehead Shepard continued "oh, I know him. His brother was the guy who had the worst case adverse reaction to stun settings. I accidentally killed him."

"Yes and he is now working with the geth. A rogue specter is trouble, especially Saren who has reasons to hate humanity" said Anderson troubled "and his actions with the Geth indicate something to do with the beacon. You said the beacon gave a vision, we need to say that to the council."

"Fat chance, what can I say to them? I had a vision of a dark future and I want you all to stop what you are doing and put your entire galactic stability in danger just for a dream" said the commander, his voice filled with sarcasm, his eyes transmitting a distinct hate for the situation.

"Who know what was inside the beacon. There could have been blueprints to weapons, secrets for long lost technology, location for a cache of prothean ships" said Anderson while there as distinct worry in his voice.

"No you are not afraid of the protheans and we both know it. The entire galactic fleet would not hold a candle to the 5th fleet alone, what you are afraid is the return of what killed the old humans. I know you are one of those fearing the return of the so called" and here Shepard stopped and made air quotes "'Reapers'. What killed us in the past will never kill us again. No I will not tell the citadel council of my vision, there is no need to be classified as a mad man. We need to take Saren down before he does more damage."

"It will not be that easy, he is a specter. They have all sorts of resources at their disposition, we will first need the council on our side" said Anderson leaving the medbay "you might want to be in the cockpit when Joker brings the Normandy in the citadel docks. I hear the citadel is quite a sight, while not as large as our station, the citadel is the biggest alien station."

* * *

**Human Embassy **

Getting past the asari secretary admiral Anderson lead the ground team now composed of Alenko, Williams and Shepard to the office of the human ambassador Donnel Udina. Kaidan and Ashley moved to the balcony enjoying the sights and trying to stay away from the talks.

"This mess will lead to a shitstorm of epic proportions. We have a dead specter, a colony in shambles, a destroyed beacon and another specter accused of killing his former protégé.Do you have any idea how damage much your actions have caused?" Asked an angry Donnel Udina.

"I fail to see how this is my fault. Every single action I took was perfect and did not cause in any way the damage you accuse me of" replied Shepard angry.

"I know that, you know that but the council will not see it as such. Eden Prime was your chance to prove that you can be a great specter. Now all my work has been set a decade behind where it should be. C-sec is doing investigations into Saren, hope that they will find something or I will have to resort to plan B. I don't like plan B" said Udina.

"Don't worry Shepard, I will be there to back you up" said Anderson.

"No you won't. Your presence there will cause more trouble, especially if my request to keep Saren out of the hearing fails. We don't need you messing things up" said Udina.

"Wait. So we are putting our hopes in an alien organization primary staffed by the same race as Saren? At least I hope they will give the team extensive time to gather evidence and access to all his data while carefully vetting them to make sure we don't have any hero worshiping people there" said Shepard.

"No idea, the hearing is in an hour. Do you have anything to share to me not included in the report?" Asked Udina.

"No, nothing that I think should be brought in front of the council" responded Shepard thinking of his vision.

"Don't be late at the meeting. Until then you are free to do whatever you want. Enjoy the sights" said Udina ushering the ground team outside and starting to argue with the admiral on his presence in the hearings.

Leaving the office the squad notices a man arguing with the asari secretary. Shepard, as always bored and wanting something to do decides to help.

"Hello, my name is commander Jack Donnel David Jeremiah Shepard. What is the problem here?" Asked the commander.

"Mister Samesh Bhatia over here doesn't seem to understand when I explain to him that I am not in charge of deciding when or if his wife body will be release" explained the asari.

"Mister Bhatia, can you tell me what is the problem?" Asked Kaidan before his superior could ask.

"My wife" responded the clearly sad man "served in the 212" here Ashley's face chanced into a look of sorrow and guilt "and I have been informed that they will not release her body for cremation."

"Don't worry, we will do the best we can to reunite you with your wife" responded Ashley before anyone else.

"Sorry Ashley, but we are in a bit of a situation here" said Shepard noticing the betrayed look on his subordinate face "i am sure the military will arrange proper funerals, but mister Bhatia" and here the commander looked at the man "must understand that his wife is saving lives even in her death. Isn't it selfish on his side to just want to cremate the body when his wife is doing so much. And if I have to ask, why are you in such a rush mister Bhatia, what has it been 16 hours since the attack, doesn't it seem like you are rushing?"

"But it was my wife, damn you all, she already gave her life. What more do you want?"

"So you are nothing but a grieving man who is now falling in desperation at the loss of his love. You need help, I will give you the number of some people you should talk to, grievance counselors. They can help you pass over your loss" and pressing a few buttons on the omnitool Shepard transferred several of his contacts who had counseling cabinets.

Moving away and having enough with helping people, at least for the next hour the commander decided to relax. The multitude of races on the presidium brought only one thing in his mind '_I wonder how good is the ice-cream on the citadel_'.

* * *

**Council tower**

People can say whatever they want about the efficiency of the mass transit system of the citadel. The speed of elevators was killing Shepard.

"Finally we are here, a few more minutes and I would've tried mag-boots on the tower" said Ashley expressing her hate of the citadel elevators.

Two turians where talking near the stairs steps.

"Saren is hiding something, I need more time. Stall them" one of the turians.

"Stall the council, no your investigation is over. You found nothing because there is nothing to find" the other turian.

"But I only had 5 hours to investigate and no access to his files. Give me a day, I am sure we can find something" again the first turian.

"This is out of my control and there is nothing more you can do. We close the case and that's final" the other turian.

The other turian stormed out walking to the elevators. Nothing to present to the council so no reason to waste the council time by being there. While the first the turian, seeming younger approached Shepard.

"Commander Shepard?" said the still not introduced turian "My name is Garrus Vakarian. I was charged with investigating Saren, however short that time was."

"Who was that other guy?" Asked Kaidan curious.

"My boss, executor Pallin. He cut my investigation short and now is angry for not having anything to present to the council" responded the now named Garrus.

"I think we are up commander" said Ashley.

"The geth attack is worrisome but there is nothing to indicate Saren's involvement in the attack" said the asari councilor.

"The C-sec found no evidence on any of the accusations forwarded" said the turian councilor, at this point in a fully pledged vendetta against Udina. While still holding the position, with every day that passed the chances he will be dishonorably recalled increased and the human ambassador was helping that putting more 'nails in the coffin'.

"We have an eye witness testimony saying Saren killed Nihlus in cold blood" said Udina with an accusing tone only a politician would be able to use.

"Yes, the traumatized babbling of a dock worker who by your own admission survived only because he was lazy and hid behind the crates to sleep" this time it was the salarian councilor.

"So who will personally vouch for Saren's integrity?" Asked Udina.

"I am" responded the turian councilor "he is an excellent specter who fulfilled every mission we asked of him exemplary. I personally stake my reputation that he is innocent of this allegations."

"So you publicly declare you will step down from the council seat if Saren is guilty?" Asked Udina positioning the turian for a political death.

"Yes my trust is absolute" was the reply.

While initially Saren was supposed to be present via hologram at the hearing, but the very insistent requests Udina managed to force the issue and leave the specter out of the talks for now.

"You need to open his case files and allow C-sec investigators to find evidence. And I when I say investigators I am referring to a team doing weeks of work not letting a single guy work for 5 hours and then call it quits" said Shepard.

"We lack any evidence condemning Saren, opening his case files would endanger him as an active specter. Logical conclusion is to keep files closed if no accusation stands" intervened the salarian councilor.

"Anything more any of you would like to add?" Asked Tevos looking around at her colleagues and at the humans in the room."There have been no evidence sustain the accusations of treason and genocide forwarded by the human embassy. The petition to revoke the specter status to Saren Arterius is denies. This meeting is adjourned."

Walking away from the podium the commander was feeling powerless to fight the system.

"What can we do now?" Asked Shepard.

"We need to expose Saren. While as a specter he is virtually untouchable if we find enough evidence for the accusations to stand, his status will be revoked" responded Udina.

"Tell me what do I need to do?" Asked again Shepard.

Udina was thinking, he knew for sure that he would find evidence against Saren if given a day but the commander will need to be distracted from doing anything dumb '_I have the perfect idea, give his some crumbs and long shots making him draw attention to himself while I gather the information I need to bring the specter down. The interesting thing will be that after all this time the turian councilor will fall. And when you think that I still have no idea what's his name_' pausing himself from the amusing thought his attention was now on the matter at hand "You can try finding the person who investigated the case and see what he found. Also try visiting a banker named Barla Von, he is an information broker for some shadow intelligence agent named the Shadow Broker."

"Will do, thanks for the tips" said Shepard happily walking away from the ambassador '_so the same ideas about any leads. Or at least on the citadel, in his place I would contact central intelligence and see what they can find if C-sec is not capable, __or make fabricate something__. Oh well I don't have high enough rank to get anything useful from central intelligence anyway so I am stuck with the thug work_'.

Unnoticed by the commander Udina pressed his communication device contacting his secretary "Nassana, get me central intelligence on the line."

* * *

**C-sec Academy**

The information from Barla Von, while not very helpful lead the team to a mercenary hired by the shadow broker to kill somebody who betrayed him for Saren. Normally the commander would've chosen to go with the investigator. Garrus sounded honest but he had no idea where to find him. So here they where at the C-sec academy expecting to find the mercenary and maybe some info on Garrus.

"You where seen making threats at a bar named Chora Den" said the under-armed and under-armored human C-sec "stay away from Fist."

"You don't order me" said the krogan with a distinct smile, almost inviting the C-sec to attack. Shepard recognized him from Badass Monthly, named Urdnot Wrex number 4 mercenary in the galaxy, just a spot above the highest ranking human.

"This is your final warning" said the human.

"Warn the mortuary service, Fist will die" said Wrex again inviting the human to fight back.

"Do you want me to arrest you?" Asked the C-sec.

"I want you to try" said the krogan moving his hand to the shotgun.

Shepard decided to intervene before things ended with a shooting inside the C-sec academy or worse. But maybe the krogan was smarter then this and simply trying to see how far the human C-sec will bend. Not that it really mattered. "Urdnot Wrex?" He asked trying to get his attention.

"Yes human" the c-sec decided this was the right time to leave so he left the commander alone with the Krogan.

"My name is commander Kane Darthemius Charles Shepard, I am here to ask you about your mission for the shadow broker" said Shepard.

"Yes, Fist now works for Saren so he will die" said Wrex swiftly with a smile on his face when thinking about killing stuff.

"I will help you on that, but I want any information we might find on Saren" said the commander with a knowing smile on his face '_I get to shoot stuff, now that's fun_'.

"You got yourself a deal" responded the krogan '_visiting the galaxy and making friends while shooting things. That's what the shaman said when I was little_'.

"Nice but first we have to recruit a turian C-sec officer named Garrus Vakarian and I have no idea where he is" said Shepard.

"Ha! Now I am the better prepared, C-sec keeps the location of all the officers and their destinations in a protected server. Luckily for you I payed a guy and now I have the password" said Wrex checking his omnitool "He is heading to a clinic in the wards, I have the location."

"Then let's go."

**The clinic**

Shepard, Kaidan, Ashley and Wrex where getting to the clinic. Shepard took this time to get to know Wrex better and talk about his article in his favorite magazine Badass Monthly.

"Who did you tell about the quarian" said a man's voice in the building.

"I didn't tell a soul. I swear" said a women voice.

Shepard decided to barge in with his laser riffle drawn and set to kill."Let her go."

The thug looked at Shepard his attention distracted. He never noticed Garrus who was already prepared to kill, all he needed was one shot and one shot it took. While humans could usually live after 3 or 4 high speed pellets fired from the usual weapons of the citadel races, incendiary rounds where another deal. One shot in the head and the brain was burned on the inside.

"Thanks for the distraction Shepard. I was able to get a clear shot on the bastard" said Garrus holstering his weapon.

"My pleasure, now doctor Michel. Are you hurt?" Asked Shepard.

"No, but I am a bit shaken. You are here about the quarian right?" Replied the doctor.

Shepard had no idea what the quarian she was talking about, but Garrus seem to know so he decided to play along and act like he was after the quarian as well "Yes, I came here trying to find new leads on her location."

"She wanted to deal with the shadow broker. Sadly quarians are not usually allowed on the presidium so instead of Barla Von I sent her to Fist at Chora Den. This was his thug trying to keep me silent" said the doctor who Shepard now cataloged in his mind as Chakwas light.

"So off to Chora Den. Thanks doc" said the commander while walking out the door with his team plus the turian "Garrus you are with me. Objections?"

"No objections here commander, I want to see Saren down as much as you" said Garrus with conviction "he is a disgrace to all turians."

**Chora den**

Surprisingly the team was expected at the Chora Den by several mercenaries even before entering the bar.

"Come on Shepard. Do want to live forever" said Wrex rhetorically and charged in with his shotgun before Shepard could respond with a resounding 'YES'.

The bar was larger then the group expected, easily two dozen mercenaries defending Fist. Still badly armed and poorly trained mercenaries make little threat for trained soldiers. Before long the squad face face to face with their target.

"Hello Fist, you are deep s*th and I am not talking about the he fun type. Damn I would have so many puns to do with your name. Tell us where is the quarian or I will shoot you" said Shepard pointing his laser gun at Fist and loading the emitter extra dramatic effect.

"Don't shoot" replied Fist "she is in the back ally, the meeting is in 4 minutes and my guys have orders to kill her"

"Thanks Fist" said the commander and turned to Wrex "shoot him."

"Wait we had a deal" said Fist.

"Your deal was with me, and I will keep my promise and not shoot you. Be happy I don't have time get the omniblade out and play a lovely game of vivisection, did you know the liver is my favorite internal organ?" responded Shepard chuckling evilly.

The krogan pun his shotgun into Fist's face and squeezed the trigger, less then a second later human brains where coloring the floor and "WREXED" he screamed.

Shepard started laughing "Wrex, imagine if Fist tried the same catchphrase" the krogan seemed confused, but Shepard started laughing harder.

"Commander, the quarian" said Kaidan.

"Oh right the quarian, everybody RUN" screamed Shepard using a biotic charge as speed booster.

When they arrived at the back alley the team sees the mercenaries ready to attack, Kaidan charged to the distant one and hit him in the face with rifle full melee style and then shooting him in the face with the setting on full heat. Wrex charged and shotgunned the one that almost in the cover screaming his catchphrase. Ashley using Alliance Army standard weapons shot an explosive round from her rifle bypassing the kinetic barriers and spreading the insides of the targeted salarian all over the alley.

Shepard, well beside being pissed on his kill stealing team and busy contacting EDI for operation stealth thief was also concerned about the quarian. "Are you hurt?"

"While my suit lacks armor the shields more then make up for it" said the quarian "i am fine, but I really appreciate the help."

Shepard froze, the quarian had the most adorable accent. Shocked him to the core. It almost made him hug her and tell everything will be fine, maybe offer some warm milk and cookies.

"He is the team leader commander Shepard" said Ashley pointing towards the still thinking marine "and we are looking for any information you might have on the specter named Saren."

"Then I will have a chance to repay you for saving my life" said the quarian "but I would rather not discuss this in an alley. There could be more mercenaries on way."

Shepard took this time to come back from his shock "we can do this in Udina's office. That would be the safest place on the citadel. But first I have to make a stop at a milkshake joint to check something."

Garrus was experiencing a strange feeling. While this was what he wanted the no rules, no paperwork, no waiting for permission. His C-sec officer training was screaming inside him, he just helped a group of people assault a bar, kill the owner and his bodyguards and the splattered an alley with blood from 3 different species and he was just walking away now. Leaving the scene of the massacre to be found by who ever will happen to stumble across it first. His conscience kicked in and he tapped several buttons on the omnitool announcing what happened to the C-sec VI dispatcher.

* * *

**Human embassy **

"Do you have any idea what you did Shepard. Firefight in the wards, an assault on a bar named Chora's Den, over two dozen killed" '_offering a great distraction for me._' "How is this helping us take down Saren?" Asked Udina truly curious '_while it w__ill be__ hard to convince C-sec to drop all charges, the helmet camera recordings will prove entertaining_'.

"We have information that could prove Saren is guilty. This quarian over here" said Shepard pointing to the quarian "who I still don't know her name or age, claims to have evidence against him."

"Let me introduce myself, my name is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya" she said making a curtsy.

"So miss Zorah, I understand that while on your pilgrimage you came into possessing dangerous intelligence. Information that could get you killed or it could help us bring down a specter" said Udina not actually moving from his desk but pressing a few buttons on the keyboard while talking casually.

"Yes I was tracking a geth patrol in the Traverse trying to find a useful gift..." began Tali but was stopped.

The commander interrupted "excuse me for sounding culturally insensitive and racist. But can anybody here tell me what is this pilgrimage thing?"

Tali started happily to talk about the pilgrimage, liking to share more about the quarian culture "The pilgrimage is a rite of passage into adulthood for my people, before it we are children wandering the stars. We return as adults with a gift to contribute to our new home"'_and it resembles my people's hopes for the future to one day return to the homeworld._'

"So you are a kid on a journey to be recognized as an adult. Right?" Asked Shepard.

"I am able to protect myself and I a quite good with a shotgun" replied Tali.

"Great, here is a dextro milkshake" said Shepard giving the quarian a large milkshake glass.

"Where did you get that commander?" Asked Udina amused.

"Pockets, lots of pockets" responded the commander.

"Your current suit doesn't contain any pockets" announced Ashley.

"Then where did I get the milkshake?" Asked Shepard, the discussion would've continued but it was interrupted by Tali loudly slurping the drink using her suit integrated straw.

"Back to the matter at hand, miss Zorah, can you please forward the files" asked Garrus a bit curious on what the quarian might have on the specter.

"Oh, right" said Shepard "we already have her files, EDI copied them in the alley. But I thought we should keep an eye on her. Saren might try to kill her and I want to be there to stop it."

Udina looked over the files "an audio and pieces of a geth version of codex. Impressive, we weren't able to recover any geth memory banks intact."

"It requires fast work and a bit of luck, and even then my people might not get anything more then fragments" responded Tali.

"I think we should take a break, sleep a night at the embassy compound and present the data tomorrow" suggested Shepard looking around to notice the agreement of everyone around "great. Now let's visit the presidium, see the sights, get some more dextro milkshake for Tali because she finished this cup. Now that I think about it, I heard the elcor and the volus have a combined embassy, I would love to see them talk."

**Presidium (AN**: here starts a long chunk of side missions, it provides a good amount of character development for Shepherd. If you want to skip it press Ctrl+F or whatever quick search option your browser has and write 0930**)**

Garrus returned to his apartment, Wrex said something about a bar, Kaidan needed to return to the Normandy because he had a headache and Ashley had to escort Tali to the embassy compound. So commander Shepard changed into the formal uniform, kept his weapons and found himself alone walking towards to the elcor/volus embassy.

"With a concerning tone of desperation: I request an urgent meeting with the elcor ambassador on matters concerning the consort" said an elcor in the hall of the embassy.

"And I told you Dekuuna-clan, the elcor ambassador has his schedule occupied" said the volus sounding annoyed.

"What is the problem?" Asked Shepard.

"With increasing optimism: my name is Xeltan" said the elcor "you might be able to help."

"Always eager to help" replied the commander amused at the elcor method of speaking.

"Disappointed: the asari consort Sha'ira is releasing classified information concerning myself."

"Don't worry, I will try and get to the bottom of this" said Shepard and left '_a mysterious navy marine found himself late in the morning of life wandering the citadel streets on a mission for a foreign politician. The clock __ticks late__ afternoon, the low synthetic lighting was buzzing lightly_' and the commander stopped '_I should stop letting Joker pick movies, the detective ones he picks exaggerate on narration_' and he found himself in from of the consort's chambers '_let's see if I can get a meeting with this hetaera_'.

**Consort Chambers**

Walking to the front office "hello my name Xavier Sheldon Nicklaus Damian Shepard and I would like a meeting with the consort."

If the girl staffing the reception was bothered by his armed presence or his official dress uniform she didn't show it, instead she pressed several buttons "yes commander Shepard, you have been flagged for direct access if the consort is available, go right in."

Walking to the door the commander found himself in nicely decorated room, an imposing couch and on it was an asari eating the most surprising thing of all, grapes '_interesting to see grapes so far away from the solar system. Still it looks good on her and it brings a certain seductive angle to it_' but before he could continue he decided to introduce himself, but he was interrupted.

"Commander Shepard, my contacts say great things about you" said the consort in a seductive voice.

"Sha'ira, the famed consort" said Shepard taking a seat on the couch and looking at the asari "I think you heard about the ambassador trying to set me for the position of the first human specter and you decided to give me free access in case I happen to wander around. You would have nothing to lose, but if it worked you would form a contact with one more specter."

"Humans, as delighting as ever" said Sha'ira taking another grape "why do you have to over think it and not enjoy the moment?"

"What is it with asari liking humans anyway?" Asked Shepard.

"Because we are in private I will indulge you and explain why the asari like the humans. Now listen carefully and do not interrupt. Asari are attracted to two things power and mystery. They usually spend their entire maidenhood searching for either of them. And there comes the humans old, powerful, immortal humans. When the protheans where barely walking the universe you where building stations that can rival planetoids. How could they not be attracted to you?"

"Still, it's kinda hard to believe all asari are drawn to mystique" said the commander.

"No, the humans are simply the best choice. Every other race has downsides."

"Huh?" Asked Shepard confused.

"Asari with asari while sounding attractive and nice to watch" said Sha'ira winking "but can cause genetic deformations and a great number or problems. With turians you cannot get close and personal without the chaffing issue, salarians die too quickly and they lack a biological sex drive. The volus and vorcha are just disgusting close and personal. Elcor look to some people like farm animals, hanar while fun in bed in theory are overrated and they always have to wear the synthetic skin or they will dehydrate and die. Quarian, now quarians used to be fun, but losing their immune system means one night will put them in hospital. What is left, oh the krogan, have you ever considered how to kiss a krogan, no, well here is an advice from me avoid it. The last on this list is the batarians, and we can all agree those are disgusting" Sha'ira stopped and took another grape "then the humans come into the scene. Similar body to the asari, no chaffing, unlimited lifespan and experience, great thirst for new ideas, always eager to explore."

"Now I can see what you are referring to. Still I am still here on a task. I heard you where spreading rumors about a elcor diplomat" said Shepard.

"Oh, you are referring to Xeltan. No, it wasn't me, it was a turian general named Septimus. He is infatuated with me and I have been forced to deal with his constant harassment" said Sha'ira using her hand to cup the commander's face "if you would deal with him for me I would be very grateful to you."

It only took Shepard a few minutes to find the very inebriated babbling something about Chora Den closing down, his glass filled with a blue colored drink. It took the commander 2 minutes to change the general current drink with one that in his current state would be lethal.

After returning to Sha'ira the commander was surprised to see that he was allowed inside without any problems and decided to ask "for somebody who people spend months booking in advance you have a great amount of free time."

"Oh no, I usually have 3 or 4 meeting a day planned months in advance. Depending on how important a person is they could wait from an hour to half a year" she replied.

"Good to know. I silenced general Septimus for good" said Shepard having an evil smile on his face.

"Allow me to offer you a gift of words" said the consort, her eyes turning black, her voice slightly changing, the room dropping in temperature "I offer a gift of words. An affirmation of who you are, and who you will become... I see you, your uniform fits as you where born wearing it. You are a soldier thru and thru, proud, unshaken, driven and ruthless but it gives you strength_. _You never hide it, either. It serves you well. Terrifies your foes. Few will dare to stand against you. This may be who you are, but it is not who you will become. It only forms the shape for your future greatness. Remember these words when doubt descends, Commander" the voice stopped, the eyes regained the coloring, the room suddenly was regaining the temperature.

Shepard looked unimpressed "is that all?"

"Not really" replied the consort.

A good amount of time later a whistling commander left the consort chamber building and moving to the financial district to set up a banking account with Barla Von. He was stopped by the sound of two people arguing.

"What is the matter here?" Asked Shepard '_I love to intrude_'.

"I lost my husband in the Eden Prime attack" said the women "and I cannot seem to convince my brother-in-law whether to get extensive genetic modification for the child I carry or let him chose what he needs later in life."

"So your brother" started the commander and was interrupted by the man saying 'twin brother' "recently died and you are already hooking up with his wife. Way to go man, high five."

"Wait what?" Asked the man sounding disgusted and surprised.

"You use the kid, who by the way genetically could also be counted as your child, to get close to the lady. After a while she gets close to you, either is attachment or simply your brother's memory. The final effect is the same, you get to bang her" finished the commander and both persons stormed off in opposite directions the genetic modification was the last thing on their mind '_oh how I love helping people. How it fills my soul with joy. Oh look a hanar making a scene_'.

"This one has the right to spread the joy of the enkindlers to all the species of the citadel" said the hanar.

"Sir, I am afraid that I will have to ask you to leave you if don't buy an evangelical license" said the turian C-sec officer.

"Can I intervene?" Asked Shepard not actually waiting for a reply "if I understand correctly, the hanar only wants to help the souls of the presidium citizens allowing them to repent and save their soul by worshiping the 'enkindlers'. Right?"

"This one is surprised by how well the human understood the situation" replied the hanar, while the turian had a look on his face that said 'not another mad man.'

"But doesn't your religion teach respect to the rules set by society. And if I recall correctly you are misusing the greatest gift the 'enkindlers' gave your kind by breaking the law. What would they say if they found you here on their station breaking the law?" Asked Shepard rhetorically.

"This one is ashamed of his actions. This one will retreat to solitary and ask for forgiveness from the enkindlers" said the hanar, and while his voice didn't change he sounded greatly disappointment.

"Oh before you leave" said Shepard smiling "i once knew a hanar. All the faith he had had had had no effect on the outcome of his life. Enjoy your grammatical BSOD."

The turian thanked him and the commander headed to a bar and spent the rest of the night there.

* * *

**Council tower, ****0930 citadel standard time**

Everything was ready. Saren was contacted and present via hologram, Anderson was confined to the Normandy, central intelligence found enough evidence to convict the rouge specter several times over, Shepard was smart enough to know when to talk, Tali'Zorah was back at the embassy compound slurping a milkshake and at Shepard's insistence paperwork was filled to allow several aliens to work on Shepard's team. Kaidan was occupied filling the said paperwork. Ashley William was occupied filling complains against serving in the same team with aliens.

Udina started presenting his evidence in Saren's presence "I would like to forward to the council several files I thing you might need to take into consideration. Here are several photos of the specter on Eden Prime, a video from a closed circuit camera at the docks showing Saren killing Nihlus in cold blood, another video showing him tampering with the protean beacon, another video showing the geth planning dirty nuclear weapon at his request, an audio recording showing him bragging that the attack on Eden Prime get him closer something named the conduit and a reply from what has been identified as matriarch Benezia as bringing them closer to the reapers. For anyone asking, in the geth version of the codex the reapers are defined as race of synthetics who killed the protheans."

"Implications worrying, geth attack problematic, the existence of synthetic race who killed the protheans and still exists today is problematic. Investigations will be started."

Saren was left speechless, and so was the turian councilor who knew this was the end of him after risking his position to defend Saren.

Tevos decided react "the amount of evidence provided supports the accusations of high treason, genocide, destruction of high level protean artifacts, attempted destruction of a garden class planet and murder of another specter. In the light of these accusations the council" and here she stopped looking to the salarian councilor for confirmation "decides to revoke Saren's specter status."

Saren quickly closed the communication link and his immense hologram disappeared, the turian councilor stopped moving, this was his end, the political suicide Udina was positioning him into all these years.

"If this was a normal case I would have suggested to send the fleets and hunt him down. But this is not a normal case and a fleet might scare him into hiding deeper" said Shepard.

"I forward a motion to position Shepard as a specter with a mandate to hunt down and kill Saren" said Udina smiling, finally his moves of the last years where coming to fruition. The experts calculated that a council seat will be opened in the next 3 to 4 year for humanity. Tevos was already on his side, the salarians would be easily swayed with the promise of longer life, all he needed was a more malleable turian councilor and he would easily get a unanimous decision. If only the plan with Victus held.

Tevos and the salarian seemed to agree, the asari pressed several buttons on the console "by the authority of the council I name commander Shepard as an agent of the Special Tactics and Reconnaissance bureau with all the privileges and attributes it entails. As your first task you are to stop the rogue specter Saren and to located the conduit."

"This meeting ends" said the salarian motioning for the his colleagues to leave the room.

"You will need a ship and equipment worthy for a specter. Gather whoever you want to take with you on the mission. I will contact you in 4 hours with the details" said Udina and move away opening the communication link "Nassana, get me special requisitions on the line."

Shepard was occupied messaging Tali, Ashley, Kaidan, Wrex and Garrus. While he was on it he also send several other invitations to the hanar on the presidium for 'religious support', the bartender where he got drunk last night for 'moral support', and to Barla Von for 'financial support'. From all his message the volus was the most important '_having a banker/spy master on your team sounds like a big win_'.

"Commander Shepard" waved a seemingly impatient salarian holding a StarChit coffee cup and in surprisingly good moods "i heard about your appointment as a specter and I was thinking that you might want to help me scan the keepers."

"So let me understand this" said the recently named specter "I have only been promoted to specter less then a few minutes ago and you want me to sabotage citadel operation. This is either a test, a joke set up by the other specters or the delusions of a salarian who had too much coffee."

"No commander, the offer is legit" assured the salarian.

"I understand" said Shepard "C-SEC" he screamed and 2 officers rushed to the location with weapons ready "this guy wants to sabotage the citadel, he might be in cahoots with that Saren dude. I will forward video evidence. How about you stick him in a nice warm cell for the next 50 years."

* * *

**C-sec Academy**

Some time after a very long visit to the consort the commander found himself following Udina's instructions to head to the C-sec Academy and then take an elevators to the docking bays. Instructions for the meeting location where passed along to everybody who RSVP-ed at the invitation. The banker, bartender and the hanar refused to join.

A reporter approached "**Khalisah Bint Sinan Al-Jilani. Would you like to answer a few questions for our viewers?**"

Shepard shrugged "of course. " his tone changing to chilling, a great emulation on his mother's frightful tone "But before the interview begins I will like to inform you that as a specter I have all the rights to kill you if I feel that your actions are a threat to the galactic stability. The only authority allowed to question the decision would be the council, and I don't think they would bother for a reporter. Do you?"

"I just remembered I must wash my hair" said the reporter scared and started running past Wrex who was just approaching Shepard.

"What did you do to her?" Asked the krogan.

"Some people are alive only because it would be illegal to shoot them. I gently explained to her that as a specter I have open season for idiots" responded Shepard noticing the rest of the team got there.

Several minutes later everyone was getting bored inside the elevator. Ashley decided to satisfy her curiosity "commander, I have seen you present yourself with different names. What's the deal with that?"

"Long story short, you know the 'I will name my first born after you' thing?" Asked Shepard rhetorically "Well my mother tended to promise this to everyone. Legally I have 255 first names and 127 middle names. I t tend to alternate."

**Docking Bay**

The elevator journey finally ended and Shepard plus the rest found themselves face to face with admiral Anderson and ambassador Udina right next to the Normandy.

"Admiral Anderson will be renouncing his commanding position of the Normandy. Commander Shepard is now the acting captain" said the ambassador surprising mostly everybody.

"Wait! You are leaving HIM" and here Kaidan pointed at Shepard "in command" images flashing in his mind of long sessions of psychological therapy, images of brown substances found on his desk all over the datapads, waking up in the middle of the night with his bed on fire for random 'fire drills'."You can't leave us" he desperately screamed at Anderson.

"She's quick and quiet. Perfect ship for a specter" said the admiral noticing Kaidan's objections but cataloging them as attachment to him.

"Don't know why you didn't expect this. I mean they make the perfect ship for a specter and they make a specter candidate the XO. If this wasn't premeditated then the guys in charge of stuff like this are morons" said Shepard.

"I took the liberty to fully stock the Normandy with the best equipment in the System Alliance. This includes the good military rations in dextro and levo versions" said Udina.

"Thanks what can I say" said Shepard and stopped for a few seconds "all board. Tali dear can you wait for a few minutes, we need to have a talk."

"Yes Shepard?" Asked the quarian.

"The Normandy SR-2 is controlled by an AI. Will there be any problems with her?" Asked Shepard trying to clear any problems before the journey started.

"But AI are dangerous, we are fighting the geth, how can you know that your AI will not rebel and betray you?" Continued Tali the question line.

"AI have been our friends and allies long before the first prothean traveled the stars. I have read the news about the quarian flotilla attack by launched from unknown human ships. Those where ordered by a terrorist faction named Cerberus" said the commander knowing he gained her attention "join me, work with the AI and I will find a way to attack Cerberus and revenge the deaths of all those quarians."

"I trust you Shepard" said Tali and she was telling the truth, the commander only expressed warm feeling seemed protective of her "i will work with a synthetic if that's what we need to stop Saren and punish Cerberus" she entered the ship. The shuttle that she used to travel on the pilgrimage was left in alliance custody to be passed to another quarian.

Everyone was settled on the ship, Shepard was next to the pilot "take us out Joker, nice and easy."

"Want to have a little speech commander?" Asked Joker trying to be more creative then EDI.

"That sounds like a good idea. Open ship-wide" said the commander and waited for confirmation from EDI "this is Shepard speaking. We have one mission, find and end Saren. Let's get to work people."

"_These are the voyages of the starship Normandy. Its continuing mission to find old li__f__e and civilization. To seek out more enemies to kill …._"

"Joker stop narrating" said EDI.

**The END. Next on Human Mass ****we have Artemis Tau and road to Liara.**

* * *

_Codex_

_Normandy SR-2 – _The initial ship proved to be under performing in the tests so the navy decided to up the scale and build it bigger, better, more powerful. Armament: 1 PAC rack of 3 capital grade PACS(Mk VII), cyberwarfare systems, 4x point defense lasers. Defensive: plasma shielding, kinetic barriers as supplementary. Engine: hyperdrive, plasma-ion sublight engine, eezo FTL. Power supply: 1x Mini plasma reactor mark IX. Supplementary: Stealth system.

*****classified*** **weakness: plasma shielding impossible to power while using stealth.** ***classified*****

_Stealth system – _Advanced heat containment systems combined with holographic projections creates the best starship based stealth system the system alliance can make.

**AN: This is it people, the longest chapter I made. Hope you like it.**

**I would like to say a big thank you to my first flamer/flamers for all the support, I LOVE YOU. Keep doing the good work. Also a big thanks to anybody who reads this. Thanks for enduring my grammar and bad plot. Hope you like or hate Shepard because he is here to stay and will not leave even if [spoiler] he dies [/spoiler].**

**I await your PM or review with opinions of the story. Complains are more then welcomed. Suggestions for the future even better. **

**Flamers and Trolls allowed. No dark elves or asgardians allowed. **


	6. Human Mass VI

**Disclaimer: **Mass effect belongs to Bioware and/or EA (and not to the author of the fiction) any other elements of this respective fiction belong to their respective owners and not to the author of the fiction.

**Warning: ** Use of illicit substances presented in this chapter, Shepard's ideas and opinions are not the same with the opinions of the fiction author.

**AN:** Sorry for the delay but I had to go over the first 5 chapters and modify several phrases. There is no need to re-read the previous chapters, but feel free, they results approaching 70% less expression mistakes (5% is approaching 70% in case you are wondering)

* * *

"**_The humans of old _****_hatred_****_ of the chickens was so great _****_th_****_at they served their unborn children on the flesh of the dead and call_****_ed _****_it chicken schnitzels._****_"_**

Distribution of crew rooms has been less hassle then expected. Tali took the port side cargo room so she can spend all her free time looking at he engines, Garus took the hangar and started calibrating the weapons on the Mako and the shuttle, Wrex set shop in the bar, Shepard moved to the captain quarters, Kaidan took the XO room and all the left Ashley to play with the weapons in the hangar becoming the ship new requisition officer.

Several people on the crew of the Normandy took this opportunity and left the ship requesting transfer to anything not run by a Shepard.

Commander Joseph Adolf Genghis Shepard decided to pay a visit to the doctor after changing into his new casual uniform. Slowly walking into the medbay he sees Kaidan there complaining about the headaches.

"Commander, what are you doing dressed like that?" Asked Kaidan amazed at the current state of his leader.

Dressed in only shorts and a T-Shirt the commander decided to answer "this ship is under my command and according to citadel law I am outside any rank and protocol. So by Shepard's executive decision number 001 the commander is allowed to any fucking way he wants and permitted to go commando."

"Really did not want to know about the commando part" responded the doctor.

"By the way doc, substance 11 has shown to be very effective. I propose we keep the subject under observations and bring her here for some tests but I think we should sell the formula" said Shepard.

"What substance? What subject? What formula?" Asked Kaidan confused.

"The untested and highly dangerous anti-PTSD medicine we have been sneaking into Ashley's bloodstream" responded the commander "anti depressives, slow acting ecstasy and several stuff you never heard of."

"But testing dangerous medicine on the people under your command is unethical" said Kaidan with an accusing voice.

"Ethics" said Shepard in a mocking voice before both him and the doctor started laughing like he said the most funny thing in the universe.

"Commander" said Kaidan after they stopped laughing "are you testing any dangerous medicine on me?"

"You have no untested substance in your bloodstream right now" said Shepard calming any worry his subordinate was having '_I never said anything about tested substances_'.

"Oddly suspicious denial" said Kaidan "but I will take it. Still why are you doing this?"

"To get rich" responded the commander "money can't buy happiness, but crying in silk sheets on the ass of cute asari maiden is the next best thing."

"I am doing it for laughs and bragging rights" responded the doctor "do you have any idea how hard it is to get any acknowledgment in the current scientific arena?"

"OK, you convinced me. I will not tell Ash" said Kaidan.

"Oh, is it Ash already?" Asked Shepard teasing.

"You know what commander?" Started Kaidan "SCREW YOU" and stormed out the door.

"So doc" Shepard started formulating a question "wanna do the horizontal tango on hospital beds?"

"Sorry Shep, not interested in you" responded the doctor.

"Then I guess I will go hit the bar, I got some asari weed from a hooker on the citadel. Don't tell her I said hooker, she's sensitive about that part" said Shepard slowly moving to the door.

Slowly moving to the bar the commander encountered Ashley alone in the mess hall.

"Hello commander"

"Hi Ash, did you know we received some cool gear from special requisition? I want you to gather all the ground crew in the hangar bay and bring them up to speed" said Shepard.

"But commander are you sure that we should be giving the aliens our best tech?" Asked Ashley.

"Ashley, Ash, fire and brimstone. It all comes down to meat shields. If you have well armed and well armored expendable troupes then you are alive" said the commander coming closer "do you want to put humans in danger or aliens?"

"I understand commander, I will make sure everyone is fully armed and armored even if I have to do it against their will" responded Ashley before saluting in a military fashion and leaving to prepare the hangar.

"You do that" said the commander continuing his route to the bar '_people are so easy to manipulate_ _if you_ _know what they hate and fear_'.

Just as he was entering the bar EDI's voice could be heard over the internal communication system "all ground personnel to the hangar bay for distribution of new armament and armor."

* * *

**Normandy SR-2, Hangar bay**

Kaidan, Garrus, Tali and Wrex where all seated on crates waiting for the army soldier to begin presenting the new gear.

"We shall go over each piece of technology. You will not interrupt me, any questions you may have will be addressed after the presentation. You will use the weapons and armor presented unless you can convince me that what you have is better. Understood?" Asked Ashley getting to like the presentation tone.

"Yes we understood" responded Kaidan for everyone else.

"Good, the first thing to present is the Paladin Mk III armor. Usually not deployed because it requires expensive and specialized fabricators to be used for maintenance after each mission. The same fabricators allow us to make the armor for any body shape and size so there should be no problem in making krogan armor. The shielding system is dampening based like all System Alliance armors allowing the users to take a greater amount of fire then any citadel race armor. The material is the important part photocells coating on trinium micro-plates disposed in honeycombed formation with iridium-aerogel and trinium pasta to solidify in case of breach and seals any puncture. The entire armor is 5 cm (2 inch) thick and has lots of these hexagonal tubes so don't worry it will hold. VI controlled servo and artificial muscles are available as mods if the user require extra strength. Any questions?"

Tali'Zorah was in that moment a very happy quarian, and very glad her mask was nearly opaque because she was drooling. She wanted to ask if they have a sterilized room so she can change, but at that moment she would've endured half a year of sickness just to get the wonder-armor on.

"Does it come in red?" Asked Wrex.

"Every armor comes off the fabricator in gray. But it contains limited photocells that can chance color to anything. Usually people leave it on gray" responded Ashley "Anymore questions? No good, we shall move to the rifle while the fabricator makes your armors."

Tali's drooling was now reaching critical levels and her mind was swearing eternal allegiance for being allowed to use this armor.

"I would've preferred the explosive ammunition the army deploys but we might be dealing with more geth then we have bullets so we are using laser. This is" and here Ashley raised a gray and red rifle "Pacifier Mk XVII laser rifle, it is capable of firing 4048 standard unmodified laser shots before re-loading. Fully programmable for any desired fire rate and includes heat, disruptor, stun and armor-piercing ammo settings as standard. The reloading is fast and easy each of you will receive 2 magazines beside the one in the rifle and after each mission you will need to link them to the ship power system to reload the magazines. Questions?"

"Can we alter the settings to use 4 times the power in a single shot?" Asked Garrus.

"The settings allow you to burn the entire ammunition in a single shot so I don't see any problems. Just don't complain about lack of ammo" responded Ashley looking around.

"Not everyone here prefers a rifle so I think people should decide if they want one before a mission" said Kaidan.

"Great now the next on the list is the shotgun" begun the armament enthusiastic army soldier "Expeditor Mk III sonic shock weapon, standard magazine capacity 700, non-programmable. Extremely powerful and dangerous but limited in range. Avoid at all cost shooting in the direction of an ally even if the enemy is between you and the foe. Not working in the vacuum of space."

"Besides the capacity allowing it to continuously fire I don't see the advantage" said Wrex.

"Mister Urdnot" begun Ashley, not only hating the alien but angry for not loving one of the Alliance Army main weapon types "this one has fully automatic setting. And while your shotgun could kill any geth you target your weapon at, this one will kill him, the ones next to him, the one behind him and everyone around."

Tali was drooling again, this time at the sight of the shotgun. Hate of synthetic, fear of humans and AI long forgotten.

"No more questions, good" this time Ashley opened a crate and picked up what seemed an ugly green rifle "this is" a button pressed later the weapon barrel elongated to double the entire length of the weapon "the only weapon the Alliance Air Force created beside small handguns. The anti-air, anti-vehicle sniper rifle Call of Death Mk II. It fires a 5000 degrees kelvin wolfram pellet at hyper-sonic velocity. This kills the enemy and the city behind. Make sure to check the target opening fire. Reduction of speed and temperature available in the settings of the weapon."

Garrus at that moment found a new religion, this religion was dedicated to worshiping the Call of Death Mk II.

"Sadly we did not receive any new handguns so everyone will have to use the navy standard laser pistol" said Kaidan.

"Staff Lieutenant Alenko" begun EDI's voice over the hangar speakers "we are contacted by Admiral Hackett and commander Shepard refuses to respond. I consider you to be the appropriate person to speak with him in his current state."

"Current state?" Asked Kaidan with a desperate ton '_not really in the mood for Shepard, and these headaches are getting worse_'.

"You will notice his current state when assessing the situation, now move minion" said EDI using the evil tone and ending the conversation.

**Normandy, Bar**

"Commander" said Kaidan entering the door, his mind was focused on the fear of what he might find there.

"Did you ever noticed the subtext from Spongebob?" Asked the commander naked and eating ice-cream.

"I can't say I was ever a fan of the series" begun Kaidan in the hopes to stop his boss before he begins rambling.

"He is small clean and absorbent. He lives in bikini bottom. His best friend is an over energetic pink thing and he works at the Krusty Krab. And if you flip the screen off and look only at his nose and eye they look like..." and before he could finish he was interrupted by his XO.

"What did you took commander?" Asked Kaidan.

"I know a very nice not hooker asari on the citadel and she gave me a travel bag sized quantity of asari relaxing herb. I was supposed to something the size of a grain of sand."

"So you got high from a grain of sand?"

"Fuck no, I smoked the entire thing while Ashley was keeping you occupied. Hit some booze as well" said Shepard surprising Kaidan on the consumed quantity.

"Get over yourself, you have to speak with Hackett" said Kaidan.

"Yay, where is scar-face? I have to thank him for the milkshake thing" responded Shepard.

"Forget it, I will speak with him for you. Sometimes I think you are always high, there isn't a big difference between you now and normal times" said Kaidan.

"I love you like a brother" said the commander hugging Kaidan "suck my c**t you idiotic scumbag. Out of my way, I will make pancakes. Maple syrup is my favorite flavor. MAPLE SYRUP" screamed Shepard exiting the bar still nude and moving to the small kitchen leaving the staff lieutenant to speak with the admiral.

* * *

**Normandy, Meeting room/ Communication room **

"Staff lieutenant Alenko reporting for duty admiral" said Kaidan saluting his superior.

"Staff lieutenant, I was expecting the commander" said the admiral with an amused smirk "let me guess, he's drunk" without waiting for 'something like that' from Kaidan he continued "just like his mother, drunk most of the non duty time and ballshit insane but when people need her, she is there. Did I ever told you how I got this scar."

Surprised that the admiral started reminiscing like most people his age he only responded with "No sir."

"His mother was only a captain, but she had great ambition and desired an admiral seat. So she challenged me on a duel for one. As the Alliance Navy leader refusing would've left me with bad image. So I accepted, and what a duel that was. I learned that day not underestimate a Shepard ever again, nearly lost my head. Still kept the scar. 5 weeks later Hannah Shepard became the last person to have a fleet created for her, the 66th" the admiral started telling several stories taking 2 and a half hours before he was interrupted.

"Sir, I appreciate the stories but why did you call?" Asked Kaidan.

"Oh yes, Benezia daughter was sighted on the planet Therum in the Artemis Tau cluster. You should go and retrieve her, she might have information on her mother's location"

"Understood sir, anything else?"

"Not really I need to visit a doctor to have a look at my memory module. Hackett out."

**Normandy, Mess hall/ kitchen**

"YEA TOAST" screamed the commander while hitting the table and taking another bite from his pancakes.

"What are you doing commander?" Asked Kaidan who was in the mess hall to inform his boss about the next assignment.

"Eating pancakes with maple syrup and singing about toast. YEA TOAST" responded Shepard still naked.

"Benezia has a daughter and she has been sighted in the Artemis Tau cluster, we should go find her" said Kaidan.

"Yes tell Joker to take the Normandy out of citadel docking for we may go and hunt the Yeti. The Yeti will lead us to the one ring, the long lost horcrux of lord Orochimaru."

"We are still in dock?" Asked Kaidan.

"Yes, by the way, you will have to clean my mess in the mess hall because the chef left at the same time as that navigator dude. Also I am going to take a nap in the medbay" said the commander walking to the medbay

**Normandy, Medbay**

"Shep, nice to see you here" said the doctor looking at her naked superior.

"Karin, can you know me out and do a full body purge. I need to be ready for a mission soon" said Shepard.

"Sure thing commander, let me get the crowbar."

"Can I touch your boo..." and he was put to sleep by a hypo-syringe.

"Not interested in you commander, at least not in that way" said the doctor to the sleeping Shepard.

**The End. Next Up Therum and a small interlude on the citadel. **

* * *

**AN: Sorry for taking this long but I revised the first 5 chapter and that took a lot of time. I also added some ridiculous quotes, some are true in RL, some are true only in the Human mass universe. Hope you like the presentation, I was trying to avoid making a codex for this chapter and make it into a logical version of why the people are informed. **

**Not really a lot to say, next chapter we get to see a drop of Liara, who I am planing to make as the paragon version to Shepard's insanity. **

**I await suggestions for more Shepard names because I am nearly out.**

**Awaiting your reviews or PMs. **

**Flammers and Trolls allowed on Midgard.**


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